Update: Officially charged. No word in the articles about lesser charges. There will be a press conference at 1pm CT today.
Officer Jason Van Dyke will be charged with the murder of Laquan McDonald today. Thank you protesters, thank you #blacklivesmatter. Thank you Ferguson, thank you Baltimore.
This doesn’t happen without the protests and the fear of more. It just doesn’t, especially not in Chicago.
My previous diary explains the case and the disturbing video — link leads to a story about the video, not the video itself, which will be released in the next couple of days.
Coupled with yesterday’s news that Chicago Police Department Supt. Garry McCarthy has recommended the firing of Officer Dante Servin who shot Rekia Boyd, it might show some real movement by the city and CPD to reign in cops. Servin was off duty and exchanged words with Boyd and her three friends about noise. He fired five shots into the group, over his shoulder from the inside of his car. He said he saw a weapon, but there were none. Servin was cleared of charges, but that CPD is actually recommending his firing is unusual.