Political Leaders 'Turned Their Backs' On Cop Who Shot Laquan McDonald, His Defense Attorney Says
By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Nov 30, 2015 4:51PM
Daniel Herbert, lawyer for Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, speaks at a press conference. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The lawyer for Jason Van Dyke—the Chicago police officer who has been charged with murder after killing Laquan McDonald in a chilling shooting caught on video—is speaking out.
Over the holiday weekend, Van Dyke's attorney Daniel Herbert wrote a post on Facebook explaining why he decided to take on the controversial case. He called out city leaders who he says abandoned his client when it became politically convenient:
When I took this case I knew I would invite scrutiny. I am OK with that because I believe in my client in this case and I believe in the cause. That is why I accepted this case. It is not about cover ups or defending rogue officers. It is about defending someone who did what he felt was required. HIs political leaders, his supervisors and his partners in law enforcement have all turned their backs on him because of political pressure. Someone needs to defend him and the other hard working men and women in law enforcement.
His statements echo those of protesters and critics of the political establishment who point out that neither the mayor nor even the City Council's Black Caucus demanded that the video be publicly released.
Herbert went on WTTW-Channel 11's "Chicago Tonight" last week to discuss his client's defense, which kicked off protests throughout the city.
He said his case will center on Van Dyke's state of mind at the time. He said that he believes prosecutors will have trouble convicting his client of murder, "Certainly Jason Van Dyke did not go out and start his tour of duty with a thought process that he was going to kill Mr. McDonald, let alone anyone else. He was brought into this situation by the actions of Mr. McDonald. He reacted based upon his training and based upon what he was perceiving at the point."
Herbert is a former police officer and a son of a Chicago police officer. He is no stranger to offering up a defense in controversial cases, including disgraced officers who forced a black man to pose with antlers on his head for a disturbing photo.