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Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke listens while lawyers appear in front of the judges' bench in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan's headquarters at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago on October 5, 2018.
(Associated Press)
The Order of the Illinois Fraternal Police on Friday condemned the guilty verdict of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke during the deadly shooting of teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014, according to reports.
The FOP, based in Springfield, criticized the decision Friday in a statement, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Van Dyke, 40, was convicted on Friday of second degree murder and serious beatings. He was acquitted of official misconduct.
"It was a day I never thought I would see in America, where 12 ordinary citizens were brought to save the souls of selfish politicians at the expense of a dedicated public servant," said Chris Southwood, president of the public organization in a statement.
"This mock trial and shameful verdict is a message to all law enforcement officials in the United States: it is not the author before you who must worry you, but the political agents who stab you in the back, said the FOP. The cop would still want to be proactive in fighting crime after this disgusting masquerade, and are law-abiding citizens willing to pay the price? "
"This mock trial and this shameful verdict is a message to all law enforcement officials in the US that they should not be concerned about their actions, but political agents. who stab you in the back. "
Kevin Graham, head of the Chicago FOP, was more cautious in his response, the Sun-Times reported.
"They used this case to get around the problem of the Chicago Police Department, which is unfortunate," he said.
Van Dyke testified that McDonald was advancing on him and was unaware of his orders to drop a knife. The video showed the 17-year-old man who collapsed on the ground in 16 bullets while he was away from the officers.
Police images put the country's third largest city at the center of the debate over police misconduct and the use of force.
Van Dyke was the first Chicago officer to be charged with murder in a shootout that had been in service for about 50 years.
The second-degree verdict reflected the jury's conclusion that Van Dyke thought his life was in danger but that this belief was unreasonable.
"These lawyers have had months to think about the case. These jurors have had weeks. This officer was half a second, "said resident Julie Grossman at the Sun-Times. "It seems that people nowadays do not want the police to be able to do their job."
"These lawyers have had months to think about the case. These jurors have had weeks. This officer had a half-second. It seems that people nowadays do not want the police to be able to do their job. "
After the announcement of the verdict, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson urged residents to listen to each other to respond to the conviction.
"The effort to achieve sustainable reform and restore trust between residents and the police must continue vigorously," they said in a joint statement.
Chris Southwood is President of the Fraternal Police College of Illinois.
Meanwhile, hundreds of turbulent but peaceful protesters briefly blocked several streets in downtown Chicago on Friday.
Wearing placards stating "Justice for Laquan McDonald" while chanting "16 blows" and "guilty", the protesters began in front of City Hall and continued for many blocks. The tone was celebrated when the protesters pushed the police along the road.
Protesters stand near police in downtown after a jury said Chicago police officer, Jason Van Dyke, guilty of second degree murder, during the Laquan McDonald shootout , black teenager, on Friday, October 5, 2018 in Chicago.
(Associated Press)
A legal expert said the Chicago white policeman was probably considering less than 10 years in prison for killing a black teenager rather than decades, because the jurors had chosen to convict him for second degree murder and not for murder on the first degree.
Steve Greenberg has defended clients in over 100 lawsuits for murder. He added that Van Dyke would have been sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 45 years in jail for first degree murder.
Second-degree murder is usually punishable by a sentence of less than 20 years, especially for a person with no criminal background. Probation is also an option.
Greenberg felt that a judge would impose a maximum prison sentence of six years.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
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