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U.S. NEWS A7
Wednesday 30 December
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Attorneys: Cops in boy’s shooting reacted on what they knew
MARK GILLISPIE acted differently if they’d place where gang mem- Cuyahoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty answers questions
JOHN SEEWER been given that informa- bers gathered, his attorney during a news conference in Richfield, Ohio. McGinty said
Associated Press tion, said Michael Maloney, said. Monday, Dec. 28, 2015, that a grand jury declined to indict
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Garmback’s attorney. “It’s against this backdrop Timothy Loehmann, a white rookie police officer, in the killing of
two police officers cleared The November 2014 shoot- that he got this call,” Malo- 12-year-old Tamir Rice, a black youngster who was shot while
Monday of criminal charg- ing is one of several across ney said. playing with what turned out to be a pellet gun.
es in the fatal shooting of the U.S. that have fueled On Monday, county Pros-
a 12-year-old black boy the “Black Lives Matter” ecutor Tim McGinty an- (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
reacted based on what movement protesting the nounced that the two of-
they knew at the time, that treatment of African-Amer- ficers wouldn’t be indicted should face administrative said. “When they act for
a “guy” was waving a gun icans by law enforcement. because of “indisputable” discipline. The attorney for the safety of the commu-
and pointing it at people, The man who called emer- evidence that Tamir was Loehmann, Henry Hilow, nity, they’re vilified for it.”
their attorneys said Tues- gency dispatch service told reaching for what the of- said critics have created Both attorneys said the of-
day. the call-taker that a “guy” ficers thought was a real a national dialogue about ficers weren’t available
It was not until after the was pulling a gun out of his gun tucked in his waist- the shooting that don’t for interviews because of
shooting, with the gun on waistband and was point- band. McGinty said Tamir match the facts about a pending federal law-
the ground, that police ing it at people outside a was trying to hand the what the officers knew. suit filed by Tamir’s fam-
learned that the boy, Tamir city recreation center. But weapon over to police or “Police are mostly criticized ily against them and the
Rice, was playing with a the caller also said it could to show them it wasn’t real, for not responding,” Hilow city.q
replica firearm that shoots be a juvenile and the gun but the officers had no way
nonlethal plastic pellets, might be a fake. of knowing that.
the lawyers said. And it was The call-taker didn’t relay Maloney said Garmback
not until later that they re- that information to the dis- was relieved by the grand
alized he 12 years old, they patcher who sent Loehm- jury’s decision, which
said. ann and Garmback to the Tamir’s family has con-
Frank Garmback, the train- recreation center. demned. The two officers
ing officer who drove the Garmback, a veteran offi- are not allowed to return
cruiser that day, and Timo- cer, knew the area around to patrol duties as the city
thy Loehmann, the officer the recreation center conducts an internal re-
who shot Tamir, might have could be a dangerous view to determine if they
Chicago Officer Pleads Not Guilty
CARLA K. JOHNSON misconduct in the death Police Superintendent Gar-
Associated Press of 17-year-old Laquan Mc- ry McCarthy and a broad
CHICAGO (AP) — A white Donald. The officer, wear- federal civil rights investiga-
Chicago police officer ing a dark suit and blue tion of the Police Depart-
charged with murder in striped tie, appeared in ment’s practices and how
the 2014 fatal shooting of court Tuesday as his lawyer allegations of officer mis-
a black teenager pleaded entered the plea on his be- conduct are handled.
not guilty Tuesday. half. Over the weekend, Chi-
Jason Van Dyke is “hanging Judge Vincent Gaughan cago police killed two oth-
in there” and wants to tell set the next hearing for er people, a 55-year-old
his side of what happened Jan. 29. woman who was shot ac-
so he’s not seen “as this Cook County prosecu- cidentally and a 19-year-
cold-blooded killer,” de- tors were not available old man police described
fense attorney Dan Herbert for comment after the ar- as “combative” before he
said after the court hear- raignment. Public outcry was shot. Both were black.
ing. Herbert added that has been furious since a Police have not released
they haven’t ruled out ask- dashboard camera video the race of the officer or of-
ing for a change of venue. was released last month ficers involved and will not
The case is in Cook County showing the veteran offi- say how many officers fired
Criminal Court in Chicago cer shooting McDonald 16 their weapons or what the
where demonstrators have times. The teenager, armed man and woman were do-
staged marches protesting with a knife, was veering ing before they were shot.
the shooting and how it’s away from officers when A series of police killings of
been handled. Van Dyke opened fire. blacks across the coun-
Van Dyke, 37, faces six The footage sparked days try has given rise to the
counts of first-degree mur- of street demonstrations, Black Lives Matter protest
der and one of official the forced resignation of movement.q
