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Black Aldermen Call For Police Chief McCarthy To Resign

By Kate Shepherd in News on Nov 25, 2015 8:23PM

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Photo credit: Rotating Frame

The City Council's Black Caucus is calling again for Chicago Police Chief Garry McCarthy to step down.

The city's black aldermen gathered at City Hall Wednesday and asked for "government accountability" following the release of the shocking dashcam video of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke shooting Laquan McDonald to death with 16 bullets, according to NBC. At the next council meeting, they're planning to bring a formal vote of no confidence in McCarthy.

"The video release of the Laquan McDonald killing has confirmed most of our worst fears of what the dashcam could have recorded," Ald. Roderick Sawyer said. "This video, which seemed to us to clearly depict a heinous crime is not only shocking and sad but infuriating."

The caucus held a press conference calling for McCarthy to be fired in October. He declined to resign.

Like many other Chicagoans, the alderman are questioning the reasoning behind Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's decision to wait 13 months to file charges in the case.

"It is simply unfathomable," Ald. Howard Brookings said. "That is not equal justice under the law for the people who need the most protections."

They also called for the release of 22-year-old Malcolm London, one of the five protestors arrested last night. London allegedly punched a police officer during a tense moment.