"In April, Chicago City Alderman Howard B. Brookins Jr. was prepared to vote in favor of a $5 million settlement for the family of Laquan McDonald.
The city's top attorney, known as the corporation counsel, warned that the police dashboard camera video that captured the shooting of the 17-year-old by a police officer had the potential for a long, litigious battle.
But one thing bothered the alderman.
The city said the dashboard camera video could not be released while the FBI and the U.S. Attorney investigated the shooting. Take our word for it, they said. The video was described to Brookins as "horrific."
The video was indeed horrific, that much was true. But the alderman remains disturbed that it wasn't shown to council members or the public until a judge's order forced its release just last week.
"I do believe we were misled," said Brookins. "It is evident now that at the time of the settlement, the tape could have been released. It did not take 13 months to look at this tape or interview witnesses. There was no need for significant delay."
The timing of the 13 months remains dubious even after the arrest of Officer Jason Van Dyke.
On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that the video was not released earlier because there was a concern that it could taint a federal and state investigation of McDonald's shooting.
The mayor also announced that he asked for Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy's resignation. The superintendent is an appointed position, and the mayor can fire anyone in that job...
...A teenager's life ending in a barrage of police bullets is a sad, yet familiar tale on the west side of Chicago. So familiar that few reporters noticed this one. The story grabbing all the news in early 2015 in Chicago was Mayor Emanuel's re-election battle.
...A teenager's life ending in a barrage of police bullets is a sad, yet familiar tale on the west side of Chicago. So familiar that few reporters noticed this one. The story grabbing all the news in early 2015 in Chicago was Mayor Emanuel's re-election battle.
Emanuel, nationally once known as President Barack Obama's fiery chief of staff, had returned to Chicago as its native son to run the city. His brusque personality chafed unions, council members and voters. He was blasted for his perceived anti-union policies and dubbed by critics as "Mayor 1%."
He now faced a tough challenge from Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a liberal who touted himself as the politician who would fight for the people. Garcia forced Emanuel into a runoff making this Chicago's first mayoral nail-biter since Richard M. Daley won his first term in 1989."
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