Fury over early release of Chicago officer convicted of Black teenager's murder (Laquan McDonald)

Also: Jason Van Dyke moved to halfway house, sources say; governor's office says he's in IDOC custody (WLS-TV)

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Source: The Guardian

Fury over early release of Chicago officer convicted of Black teenager’s murder

Jason Van Dyke’s six-year sentence for killing Laquan McDonald was commuted by three years for ‘good behavior’

Gloria Oladipo
@gaoladipo
Wed 2 Feb 2022 07.00 GMT

The early release from prison of a white Chicago police officer who was sentenced to about seven years for the murder of a Black teenager in 2014 has sparked anger among relatives, community organizers and politicians who are questioning the decision to shave three years off his sentence for ‘good behavior’.

Jason Van Dyke, who was convicted of murder in 2018, was sentenced to six years and nine months for the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, after video showed Van Dyke shooting the teenager 16 times.

Van Dyke is now set to be released on 3 February, almost three years ahead of schedule. He will remain on parole for at least two years.

Members of McDonald’s family, local activists and political leaders have voiced their fury over Van Dyke’s early release, noting that he served just a fraction of the 18 years prosecutors originally sought, let alone the maximum 96 years Van Dyke could have received for his charges.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/01/chicago-police-officer-early-release-murder-black-teenager

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Source: WLS-TV

Jason Van Dyke moved to halfway house, sources say; governor's office says he's in IDOC custody

By Chuck Goudie and Christine M Tressel, Barb Markoff and Ross Weidner
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 1:17AM

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There are new developments in the Laquan McDonald murder case, as former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is just days away from being released from custody.

The ABC7 I-Team has confirmed from several law enforcement sources that Van Dyke is already in an Illinois halfway house for prisoners who are in the process of being released.

A spokesperson for Governor JB Pritzker's office denied that, saying Van Dyke is "in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections," and added, "For safety and security purposes, the Department cannot disclose any information regarding his current location or pending release from IDOC custody."

Meanwhile, pressure is being brought on U.S. Justice Department officials to file federal civil rights charges against the former CPD officer --convicted of killing McDonald with 16 shots during a police operation in 2014.

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Read more: https://abc7chicago.com/jason-van-dyke-update-halfway-house-release-date/11530545/