Target: Patricia Brown Holmes, Special Prosecutor
Goal: Applaud attempts to bring justice and closure to the shooting death of Laquan McDonald.
A grand jury will hear evidence about the 2014 shooting death of teenager Laquan McDonald by a police officer. The decision was announced after a special prosecutor reviewed preliminary information concerning suspicious and potentially illegal police behavior.
McDonald, killed in October 2014, was allegedly shot 16 times by officer Jason Van Dyke. The excessive number of bullets, coupled with dashboard camera footage of the incident, generated national outrage, as seen in this ForceChange petition. The footage from the video clearly shows Van Dyke shooting McDonald after the teenager fell to the ground. Furthermore, police reports of the incident contradict the video, leading to accusations of police misconduct.
Van Dyke is currently facing charges of first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. After reviewing the initial evidence, a local judge appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the case. In response to her findings, she made the motion for a grand jury to begin reviewing the shooting.
Though justice has not yet been served, the members of the Chicago police department are one step closer to being held accountable for their alleged misconduct. Sign the petition below to thank the prosecutor for her decision to investigate this case.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ms. Holmes,
I am writing to thank you for your recent decision to motion for a grand jury in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. Video footage of this shooting, coupled with inconsistent and potentially false testimony provided by responding officers, makes this tragic death seem especially suspicious.
The allegations of misconduct and a potential cover-up are extremely troubling, and I am glad that this young man’s death will be fully investigated so that his family can see justice served. Thank you for your diligent work.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Asher Heimermann
387 Signatures