As Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fends off critics calling on him to resign over his handling of the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, he has not hesitated to condemn the officer who fired 16 bullets into the young man.
Now, Emanuel’s comments might have complicated the murder case against the officer he has denounced.
A lawyer for Officer Jason Van Dyke, who shot McDonald, 17, and has been charged with first-degree murder, on Friday said that the mayor’s public criticism of his client might prompt the defense team to seek a change of venue for the trial.
“We’re going to have to find a county that is outside the reach of the mayor’s comments,” lawyer Dan Herbert said. “He has essentially told everyone in the public, everyone in the City Council, that my client actually murdered Mr McDonald and that he’s a bad apple.”
A spokeswoman for the mayor did not respond to questions about Herbert’s comments.
Emanuel has repeatedly used harsh words to describe Van Dyke’s conduct on Oct. 20 last year, the night of the shooting. The encounter was captured by a dashboard camera and the footage showed McDonald carrying a knife, but veering away from officers when Van Dyke began shooting. The shots continued after the teen fell to the street. Van Dyke told investigators he feared for his safety.
Last month, on the day the officer was charged and as protesters prepared to march through the streets, Emanuel said: “Jason Van Dyke’s actions violated his duties as a police officer and also the moral standards that bind our community together.”
Emanuel has faced his own critics over how he handled the shooting’s aftermath, including a protest on Friday where demonstrators again called for him to resign.
Many protesters have blamed Emanuel for the city’s efforts to keep the dash-camera footage private.
Emanuel has rebuffed requests that he resign, but he has continued denouncing Van Dyke. In a speech to the City Council last week, he said that “nothing can excuse what happened to Laquan McDonald.”
And at a news conference on Wednesday, Emanuel suggested that Van Dyke’s actions had contributed to lower morale at the Police Department.
Van Dyke, who is free on bond and has been placed on unpaid leave from the force, on Friday appeared in court.
Dressed in a black suit with his hair neatly combed, he stared straight ahead as he walked into the courtroom and was informed by a judge of an indictment in the case.
The hearing lasted only seconds and Van Dyke was heckled as he walked out of the courthouse surrounded by sheriff’s deputies.
The McDonald case has focused scrutiny on the Chicago Police Department, with critics pointing out that its officers have rarely been faulted for shootings and that most citizen complaints fail to result in discipline.
In the weeks since Van Dyke was arrested, US Justice Department officials have started a broad investigation of Chicago police practices, the police superintendent has been fired and Emanuel has appointed a task force to study police accountability and recommend improvements.
Garry McCarthy, the fired superintendent, received no severance package after his ouster. A termination letter provided this week by City Hall shows that McCarthy is to remain on Chicago’s payroll through Dec. 31.
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