Special prosecutor will probe possible cover-up in shooting by Chicago officer charged with murder
A special prosecutor has been named to investigate whether Chicago police officers covered up wrongdoing by a police officer later charged with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Former Cook County judge Patricia Brown Holmes will serve as special prosecutor, report the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and CBS. She is currently at partner at Riley, Safer, Holmes and Cancila.
Prosecutors announced a murder charge against the officer, Jason Van Dyke, in November, hours before the city of Chicago released a dashcam video showing Van Dyke firing his gun as McDonald walked away with a knife from his hand. The teen was shot 16 times.
Several officers at the scene of the shooting had maintained McDonald had lunged or waved the knife as he approached officers.
