This month, the University of Chicago community came together to discuss and process the trial and verdict of the 2014 killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. The week of the verdict, the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration (SSA) hosted panel discussions with UChicago faculty and local media and activists.

The pre-trial conversation, moderated by Jenn White, host of the podcast 16 Shots from WBEZ Chicago, centered around why the case was a significant example of police violence.

Panelist Craig Futterman provided background on the case, pointing out that elements in police violence cases are historically the same: a black man was shot by the police, police say the shooting was justified, the city says it’s investigating, and then there is silence. Futterman, a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, reported that in the seven years leading up to the killing of Laquan McDonald, Chicago police officers killed over 400 people, and none of those killings were found to be unjustified.

When asked to comment on how police violence has changed throughout recent history, Assistant Professor at the School of Social Service Administration, Reuben Miller, said the relationship between communities and the police, as well as the racial narrative of police violence, is lost. Miller pointed out that while individuals are responsible for these actions, there’s a larger system that legitimizes discrimination.

Janae Bonsu, scholar and activist at Black Youth Project 100, discussed the idea in further detail. “There’s a difference between prejudice and racism,” said Bonsu. “Prejudice is individual; someone can have a prejudice attitude toward a group of people. Racism is supported, sanctioned, and legitimized by larger institutional structures.” Bonsu was referencing the unwritten code of silence that exists in the Chicago Police Department.

Central to the case and conviction was the video evidence from a police car dashboard camera. Panelists discussed the effect the footage had on the city and the trial.

“What was so immediately different,” says Futterman, “was that no one was able to argue the officers’ side. Many were stuck in the light of the conclusiveness of the video, and it was rare that people on all sides agreed that what happened here was unjustifiable.”

After a three-week trial, Jason Van Dyke was found guilty of second degree murder and 16 accounts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

After the verdict was announced, the SSA panel discussed the impact the verdict would have on individuals, Chicago, and the nation at large.  

Though the conviction of Van Dyke did not solve the systematic issues at hand, the trial amplified local and national conversations regarding the unwritten code of silence in the Chicago Police Department, institutionalized racism, and law enforcement accountability.

Marion Malcome, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, addressed the impact it would have on the city, saying the way the media played up potential violence of black and brown people incites anxiety and fear.

“From a mental health perspective, people likely have felt a range of emotions, joy, and relief,” said Malcome, referencing the verdict, “and many still feel angry, frustrated, confused, and fearful.”

Historian and Civil Rights Activist Timuel Black said the verdict was a victory for the people.

“It proves to me that in unity there is strength, and the young people who came together… made a difference that transferred into politics,” said Black. “It was a beautiful thing.”

While the verdict in the Laquan McDonald case has been released, the work of the city and country is ongoing, according to Black.

“Unity of community,” continues Black. “The police and community need to get together to talk about unity, violence, and community. How can we improve so that the police will feel that they have the responsibility for safety in the community?”

 

Interested in learning more about this event? You can view the full panel discussion recording here. If you would like to learn about future events, consider visiting the Harris or SSA events pages.