Page 33 - MIN JUS 8 DEC 2015
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U.S. NEWS A3
Tuesday 8 December 2015
US Justice Department to Investigate Chicago Police
Continued from Front page eral reforms, including ap- Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez speaks at a news conference, Monday, Dec. 7, 2015,
pointing a new leader for in Chicago where she announced that Chicago police Officer George Hernandez will not be
“And when suspicion and the Independent Police charged in the shooting death of 25-year-old Ronald Johnson, whom authorities say pointed a
hostility is allowed to fester, Review Authority, which gun at police before he was killed on Oct. 12, 2014. The announcement comes the same day the
it can erupt into unrest.” investigates shootings by U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation into patterns of racial disparity in the use of force
The civil rights probe fol- police. by Chicago police.
lows recent ones in Balti- The authority’s new chief,
more and Ferguson, Mis- Sharon Fairley, appeared (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)
souri, and comes as the with Emanuel at a Monday
police department and news conference at City he was struck by two bul- he was killed. She also said The attorney for the John-
Mayor Rahm Emanuel are Hall. The previous head re- lets. The video was also Johnson ignored officers’ son family, Michael Op-
under intense scrutiny over signed Sunday. slowed down to show what commands to stop and penheimer, said the pros-
their handling of the Oc- Also Monday, Cook Coun- McCarthy said was a gun in drop his weapon and had ecutors’ investigation was
tober 2014 death of Mc- ty State’s Attorney Anita Johnson’s hand. Prosecu- been in a physical alterca- a “joke” and an affront to
Donald. Officer Jason Van Alvarez said there would tors say a loaded weapon tion with at least one other Johnson’s family and Cook
Dyke was charged with be no charges against Of- was found in his hand after officer before he was shot. County citizens.q
first-degree murder Nov. ficer George Hernandez
24, more than a year after in the shooting of 25-year-
the killing and just hours be- old Ronald Johnson, whom
fore the release of police authorities say pointed a
dashboard camera foot- gun at police before he
age showing the officer was killed on Oct. 12, 2014.
shooting the teenager. Alvarez and Assistant
Emanuel, who initially said State’s Attorney Lynn Mc-
a federal civil rights inves- Carthy spent more than 30
tigation would be “mis- minutes detailing evidence
guided” but later reversed before showing the dash-
course, said the city needs cam video, which similarly
comprehensive solutions to the McDonald case has
in the wake of the vid- no audio. The state’s attor-
eo showing McDonald’s ney’s office overlaid police
death. radio communications.
Speaking at a news con- The video shows Johnson
ference, Emanuel said the running from police across
police department’s chal- a street with several of-
lenges go beyond one ficers in pursuit, and then
case and he’s making sev- one officer shooting. John-
son is not on screen when
Homeland secretary: US to roll out new terror alert system
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson speaks at a Defense One “leadership briefing” in United States, but he did is investigating the possibil-
not provide specific details. ity that shooting suspects
Washington, Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, on the agency’s efforts to tackle growing terrorism threats in This will be the third terror Syed Farook and Tashfeen
alert system put in place by Malik were inspired by the
the U.S. and abroad. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) the Homeland Security De- Islamic State group to carry
partment since the Sept. 11, out the attacks that killed
ALICIA A. CALDWELL announce a new terror Monday. 2001 terrorist attacks. The 14 people attending a holi-
Associated Press alert system “in the coming Johnson said the new alert much maligned color-cod- day luncheon at a social
WASHINGTON (AP) — The days,” Homeland Security system will better inform the ed system was replaced in services facility.
Obama administration will Secretary Jeh Johnson said public about threats to the 2011 by the National Threat Johnson said while a spe-
Advisory System, which has cific motive has not been
never been used. determined in the Califor-
Johnson announced the nia case the threat from
new alert system during a home-grown radicals or
forum with Defense One those inspired by foreign
magazine. He said the Na- groups is a growing con-
tional Threat Advisory Sys- cern in part because such
tem hasn’t been used be- attacks may not be discov-
cause it requires a “specific, ered in advance. The new
credible threat” to the U.S. terror alert system, he said,
in order to be activated. better “reflects the current
The new effort will include environment and current
an “intermediate” step, he realities.”
said. The plan to change “We need a system that
the alert system was an- adequately informs the
nounced in the wake of the public at large ... about
mass shooting in San Ber- what we are seeing, what
nardino, California, which we are doing and what we
the FBI has declared a ter- are asking the public to do
rorism investigation. The FBI about it,” Johnson said.q