CHICAGO — Jason Van Dyke was sentenced to 81 months, or six and three-quarter years, in prison and two years of probation for the murder of Laquan McDonald in a Chicago courtroom on Friday. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated assault with a gun in October 2018. Prosecutors had…
CHICAGO — The ACLU of Illinois has reacted to the acquittal of three Chicago police officers accused of covering up for Jason Van Dyke for the murder of Laquan McDonald. Their statement from Karen Sheley, Director, Police Practices Project, ACLU of Illinois: “Today’s acquittals are a painful reminder of the complete lack of structural accountability…
New website allows public to view traffic stop & search rates for law enforcement agencies across Illinois CHICAGO — A new report from the ACLU of Illinois confirms that racial disparities persist in Illinois traffic stops. Black and Latinx drivers are searched at higher rates than white drivers across the state. The report examines several…
CHICAGO — Prosecutors told a court that they want Jason Van Dyke to serve at least 96 years for the murder of Laquan McDonald, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Monday. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of of aggravated battery, one count for each shot, in Chicago on Oct. 8. From the…
URBANA — A swastika was found in the bathroom of the English Building at the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana, local media reported Wednesday. It was the second incidence in a month. The News-Gazette of Champaign/Urbana reported that the swastika was found Monday drawn on a wall inside a men’s restroom at the English Building at 608…
CHICAGO – On Thursday, attorneys filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Chicago chapter of Black & Pink, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide LGBTQ people in prison with allies on the outside. For over two years, Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) has censored communication between this organization and LGBTQ prisoners in…
CHICAGO — On Wednesday, the ACLU of Illinois gave this statement about a Chicago police officer shooting a teenager with disabilities in 2017 that was caught on video. Karen Sheley, Director, Police Practices Project, ACLU of Illinois. “On August 13, 2017, Ricky Hayes needed help from the police because he had left his home late…
Organizations and community reacts to verdict CHICAGO — A jury of eight women and four men on Friday convicted Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke of one count of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery, one count for each shot. The verdict brings to an end four years of political conflict in Chicago,…
