Page 5 - atoday
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 1 December 2015
Bond set at $1.5M for Chicago officer who fatally shot teen
DON BABWIN last week without bond. Protesters barge into restaurants in the Intercontinental Hotel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago as
Associated Press He said Van Dyke is “very
CHICAGO (AP) — A judge scared about the conse- community activists and labor leaders hold a demonstration billed as a “march for justice” in the
on Monday set bond at quences he is facing.”
$1.5 million for a white Also on Monday, an online wake of the release of video showing an officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald. A judge on
Chicago police officer threat against the Univer-
charged with murder after sity of Chicago that led the Monday set bond at $1.5 million for the officer. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
a squad car video showed school to cancel all classes
him fatally shooting a black and activities appeared to the previous week. On announced the charges In the audio-free video,
teenager 16 times, and the have been motivated by Tuesday, Cook County before the video’s release McDonald can be seen
officer’s lawyer said he was the fatal shooting, federal State’s Attorney Anita Al- in an effort to encourage walking down the middle
hopeful his client could be authorities said. varez said she had de- calm. of a four-lane street. He
released in the “very near Jabari R. Dean, 21, of Chi- cided a few weeks earlier Herbert last week reas- appears to veer away from
future.” cago, threatened to kill to charge Van Dyke with sured the judge that Van two officers as they emerge
Officer Jason Van Dyke 16 white male students or murder and was planning Dyke is not a flight risk, ex- from a vehicle, drawing
has been locked up since staff at the school on Chi- to announce charges in plaining that he has deep their guns. One of the of-
Nov. 24, when prosecutors cago’s South Side, accord- a month. But knowing the ties to the community, lives ficers, Van Dyke, opens
charged him with first-de- ing to the criminal com- intense public anger that with his wife and two chil- fire from close range. Mc-
gree murder in the shoot- plaint. Dean was arrested the sight of the “chilling” dren in Chicago and does Donald spins around and
ing death of 17-year-old Monday morning and is video would generate, she not possess a passport. crumples to the ground.q
Laquan McDonald. On the charged with transmitting
same day, authorities re- a threat in interstate com-
leased the dash cam vid- merce.
eo that shows McDonald The threat was posted Sat-
— armed with a small knife urday, just days after the
and walking down a street city released a video of
on the city’s southwest side Van Dyke shooting Mc-
— being shot repeatedly Donald 16 times. The video
by the 37-year-old Van sparked days of protests
Dyke. in Chicago, including one
The bond amount means that blocked off part of
Van Dyke will need Michigan Avenue in the
$150,000 to be released. downtown shopping dis-
Attorney Dan Herbert said trict known as the Magnifi-
the officer is pleased the cent Mile on Black Friday.
judge set a bond amount A separate judge had or-
after ordering him held dered the video released
Jury selection begins for officer charged in Gray’s death
JULIET LINDERMAN jurors in a private confer- Gray unresponsive. He was settlement paid to his fam- A small group of protest-
Associated Press ence room — an indica- taken to a hospital and ily. No one responded. ers gathered outside the
BALTIMORE (AP) — Jury tion of how difficult the died a week later, on April Twelve jurors said they had courtroom. Their chants
selection for the first po- selection process could be 19. family members in law en- of “All night, all day, we
lice officer to go to trial in for the high-profile trial. The officer is being tried forcement. Thirty-seven will fight for Freddie Gray,”
Freddie Gray’s death be- William Porter is one of six first in part because pros- said they had been a vic- could be heard through-
gan Monday with a judge officers charged in the ecutors want to use him tim or a suspect in a crime, out the proceedings.
questioning potential jurors death of Gray, a 25-year- as a witness in the trials of had been to jail or had A verdict is likely to set the
about their knowledge of old black man who died several other officers. He is charges pending against tone for the city. If Porter is
the explosive case, which of a severe spinal injury charged with manslaugh- them. acquitted, there could be
led to widespread protests he suffered while in police ter, assault, misconduct in Twenty-six people said they protests and possibly more
and rioting and added fuel custody. office and reckless endan- had strong feelings about unrest. A conviction could
to the Black Lives Matter Porter, who is also black, is germent. the charges against Porter. send shockwaves through
movement. accused of failing to get The judge asked 75 po- Williams read aloud more the city’s troubled police
Baltimore Circuit Court medical help for Gray dur- tential jurors on Monday than 200 names of possible department.
Judge Barry Williams con- ing several stops made by whether anyone had not witnesses that included “Everything is at stake.
ducted initial questioning in the police van that carried heard about the case, the more than 100 Baltimore The future of the city is at
a courtroom but planned Gray on a 45-minute trip. citywide curfew imposed police officers, lawyers and stake,” Police Commission-
to interview 66 prospective At the end, officers found after Gray’s death or the prosecutors. er Kevin Davis has said.q
