This week brought closure to the Laquan McDonald case… maybe not the closure that was wanted or needed, but closure nonetheless.
The big news yesterday evening was the 7 year prison sentence that former officer Jason Van Dyke received and the day before that, we got news that the 3 officers accused of covering up the shooting were acquitted.
I can’t say I’m surprised at any of this. And I can even understand why some people are saying even this little bit is progress toward getting justice because it’s a landmark moment for any Chicago police officer, much less 4 of them, to face charges and a jury in court for crimes like these.
But that doesn’t make it any less painful to see what a young black man’s life is worth. It still hurts down deep that Laquan’s life was taken so brutally and unnecessarily and then covered up… and that travesty of justice was only worth putting the person responsible behind bars for 7 years.
I’m still wondering how something like this happens, but someone who shot up a church or a school can somehow get off the scene and brought into custody to stand trial without as much as a scratch on them. I hate to make comparisons but I can’t erase those vast differences from my mind.
Sending love, light, peace and healing to Laquan’s family.