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* Sun-Times…
Emboldened by the furor over police shootings in Chicago, lawyers for another black teenager gunned down by police nearly three years ago after allegedly stealing a car are fighting to take the images of his final moments public.
So far, City Hall has fought back.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Geraldine Brown shot down an attempt last month by the family of Cedrick Chatman to make public the video of the 17-year-old’s Jan. 7, 2013 shooting death. The case is the subject of a federal lawsuit, and the judge issued her ruling the same day a Cook County judge ordered City Hall to release video footage of a Chicago police officer shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times. Chatman family attorney Brian Coffman is now set to ask U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman on Dec. 9 to overrule Brown.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Davis, a former top investigator for the city’s Independent Police Review Authority who said he was fired earlier this year for resisting orders to justify police shootings, said Wednesday that he saw the video of Chatman’s death before his dismissal. His lawyer, Torreya Hamilton, said the Chatman case led to Davis’ dismissal from IPRA.
Davis told the Chicago Sun-Times that Coffman’s shooting death was an “unnecessary use of deadly force” — and a murder.
“You don’t kill a person unless you have to,” Davis said.
The officer who pulled the trigger has said that he feared for his partner’s life when Chatman made a “slight” turn of his torso during a foot chase, records show. The shooting was ultimately justified in an IPRA report that indicated Fry saw “a dark colored object” in Chatman’s hand that he thought could be a firearm. An IPRA spokesman did not comment on Davis’ allegations. A spokesman for City Hall’s law department also did not comment on the case.
* Meanwhile, the Tribune is demanding that Mayor Emanuel release the Ronald Johnson police shooting video.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 5:58 pm
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No other way to describe these issues as systemic and high reaching to such a degree that it shatters my faith in the Chicago police department, and makes me wonder how many other cities have similar issues.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:07 pm
I heard the story on WBEZ months ago about the investigator who was fired for refusing to justify police shootings. He was reluctant at the time to talk specifics but it seems he is taking a stand on this latest shooting case. Good for him.
As Rich noted earlier today, the callous indifference of ALL the officers on the scene of the Laquan McDonald shooting speaks volumes about what is wrong with the Chicago PD. Not one of them treated him like a human being.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:27 pm
If this continues, it will hit every person involved with oversight of the justice system and police.
Rahm, the aldermen, Anita Alvarez, Attorney General Madigan and so on.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:32 pm
Yet Mayor Emanuel disagrees that a broader investigation of his police department by the Justice Department is necessary.
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:34 pm
–So far, City Hall has fought back.–
Here’s a “moment of learning and understanding,” as Emanuel likes to say.
“City Hall” is the mayor. He runs the law department. He runs the police department. He runs the schools. He runs the parks. He runs the CTA, and on and on.
Big decisions are made by the mayor. He is responsible. He is accountable.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:42 pm
Maybe it is not fair for an old white guy from Southern Illinois to comment on the evolving investigations and activities of the CPD. I am much more familiar with what is going on in St. Louis - many similar problems and issues but maybe on a smaller scale, only because of the local news and media I read and listen to.
Some of the issues and problems seem to be systemic with many Departments, but there are still many dedicated officers. I have 2 family members that are ISP, so maybe that is different.
My cousins have absolutely no use for the rouge elements in their profession and in the course of their careers have never had to fire their weapons. Enough said.
Comment by illini Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:55 pm
Black lives are finally starting to matter and the CPD is finally facing the heat. For too long this injustice has gone unnoticed by some and ignored by others. Hopefully it leads to an honest examination of the relationships between poverty, the schools, the criminal justice system, mass incarceration, felony disenfranchisement and economic policies that have sent jobs to cheaper labor markets. Unfortunately we wil probably get more of the same from all involved…
Comment by Al Czervik's Golf Bag Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 6:55 pm
Does anyone seriously think there are only 3 incidents?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 7:21 pm
“You always have to,” said Pat Camden, spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police, citing preliminary information.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 7:32 pm
Isn’t the Sun-Times burying the lede here?
Unless I’m missing something, Davis and his lawyer are saying Davis was fired from IARB because he refused to “justify” what Davis believed to be the murder of Cedrick Chatman.
Wouldn’t that, perhaps, lead to a few more questions?
Who told you that’s why you were fired? What was put in writing?
Have you taken those beliefs to the U.S. Attorney? Have you appeared before the Grand Jury?
I’m no Clarence Darrow, but isn’t Davis making a very clear allegation of conspiracy to obstruct justice, if not accessory after the fact?
Previous published reports had Davis claiming he was fired for refusing to justify shootings. Shootings and murder ain’t the same thing.
And this ain’t no Hired Truck or Haunted Hall scandal, either. No spin doctor can save you on this one if you’re not 100% clean.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 7:57 pm
U.S. Magistrate Judge Geraldine Brown shot down an attempt last month by the family of Cedrick Chatman to make public the video of the 17-year-old’s Jan. 7, 2013 shooting death.
I know that there aren’t a lot of editors left at the Sun-Times, but maybe we could’ve gone with “denied” instead of “shot down” in this instance.
Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 8:09 pm
At this point, given the city’s credibility, any video they refuse to release would automatically be assumed to contain only more evidence of police misconduct.
Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 8:49 pm
As I recall from the radio story, Davis is a former Chicago police officer and so on the face of it not a radical biased against the police. But he couldn’t sign off on whitewashing blatant violence on the part of officers sworn to protect the public.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 8:50 pm
I love Chicago and I’ve been a past fan of Rahm, but this is absolutely outrageous! Chicago’s police are so out-of-control it has paid out more than half a BILLION to families because of police violence?! This is worse than the Catholic Church’s cover up of priest sexual abuse. I’m glad Preckwinkle asked for Alvarez to step down but how about the mayor? Show some real political courage Toni and publicly demand that he resign too! And while we’re at it how about Durbin, Kirk, Duckworth, and others–even Lisa, of whom I’m a big fan–doing likewise? This is sickening. Maybe finally something effective and good will come from this awful misconduct and systemic cover-ups.
Comment by Oh Come On Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 9:09 pm
So it’s late and I’m hoping that someone is still reading. At this point I’m sure this is going to cause a flood of these cases. What would be the consequences of the fall of the Emmanuel administration on the situation in Springfield?
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 9:14 pm
“What would be the consequences of the fall of the Emmanuel administration on the situation in Springfield?”
Chaos would be transformed into Pandemonium.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Dec 2, 15 @ 9:58 pm
So many videos kept under wraps, makes one wonder what the value of the body camera proliferation is if only the authorities get to decide when the video is released.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 6:43 am