Title: Cops Didn’t Know this Camera Caught them Deleting Video of the Murder of Laquan McDonald Source:
Counter Current News URL Source:http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/ ... ra-caught-them-deleting-video/ Published:Dec 1, 2015 Author:Andrew Emett Post Date:2015-12-01 18:35:26 by Deckard Keywords:None Views:1832 Comments:20
Chicago, IL — Accused of deleting the surveillance video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald’s death, several officers appeared in recently released screenshots tampering with Burger King’s computers before the footage mysteriously disappeared. Although 86 minutes of the surveillance video have gone missing, including the moment that McDonald was gunned down, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez claims no one tampered with the footage.
Surrounded by officers and suspected of breaking into cars on October 20, 2014, Laquan McDonald, 17, was attempting to walk away from a group of Chicago cops when Officer Jason Van Dyke exited his patrol car. According to initial reports, McDonald was armed with a knife and lunged at Officer Van Dyke. Fearing for his life and the lives of his fellow officers, Van Dyke shot the teen in the chest out of self-defense.
But according to witness statements and police dashcam video, McDonald was walking away when Van Dyke opened fire. After McDonald had collapsed to the ground in a near-fetal position, Van Dyke continued firing his weapon until emptying his clip. As Van Dyke began reloading his gun, a fellow officer had to order him to cease firing at the dying teen.
McDonald’s autopsy revealed that Van Dyke shot him 16 times, including two bullets in the back, seven in his arms, two in his right leg, once on each side of his chest, and single bullets wounds to his right hand, scalp, and neck. Nine of the 16 entrance wounds had a downward trajectory. None of the five other officers at the scene fired their weapons.
Before McDonald’s family could even file a lawsuit, the city gave them a $5 million settlement on the condition that the family agreed not to publicly release the dashcam footage of the teen’s death. After suppressing the video for 13 months, the city received a court order to release the footage. The city released the dashcam video last week, which clearly shows McDonald did not lunge at the officers before the fatal shooting.
In May, Burger King district manager Jay Darshane accused officers of deleting the security footage after spending over three hours in the fast food restaurant on the night of the shooting. According to Darshane, the video equipment was working properly, but 86 minutes of footage, from 9:13 p.m. to 10:39 p.m., disappeared after the officers left.
Charged with first-degree murder, Van Dyke fired his first shot at 9:57 p.m. When asked if he was certain that the officers deleted the footage of the killing, Darshane answered, “Yes.”
“We had no idea they were going to sit there and delete files,” Darshane said. “I mean we were just trying to help the police officers.”
Unable to clearly explain why the 86 minutes disappeared, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy blamed the missing files on technical difficulties. At a press conference last week, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez asserted that no one had tampered with the Burger King surveillance video. When asked who conducted the forensic testing, Alvarez did not appear to know the answer.
Alvarez responded, “That’s all I’m going to say on this.”
On Monday, NBC5 obtained screenshots taken from a surveillance video inside Burger King on the night of McDonald’s death. The photos appear to show officers using the computer console that recorded the fatal shooting. Although the police department and state’s attorney claim the officers did not delete those 86 missing minutes, remember that this information is coming from the same cops who initially lied about the shooting and the same officials who suppressed the police dashcam video for 13 months.
Well, I think we can safely assume the officers looked at the video before they "deleted" the relevant portion, right?
If that's true, then they would have seen that the cameras were not pointing at the scene of the shooting and that they recorded nothing of interest whatsoever.
But they said, "What the heck. Let's risk ending our careers and possible jail time by tampering with the evidence and deleting the video."
"Why would the police delete 86 minutes of the video? It doesn't matter incriminating or not. Why edit it?"
Because they didn't.
According to the news report, there were "4-5 officers" in the Burger King. Meaning they all would have had to be in on the conspiracy.
Second, they would have reviewed the tape first, right? So they would know what part to delete? If so, then they would have seen that the video showed ... NOTHING. The cameras were not pointing at the scene of the shooting.
So, why delete 86 minutes of nothing, risking a charge of tampering with evidence and ending their careers?
According to the news report, there were "4-5 officers" in the Burger King. Meaning they all would have had to be in on the conspiracy.
#1) So what.
#2) You're wrong. It only takes one person sitting at the keyboard to innocuously do a delete while the other cops are looking the other way, whether on cue or not.
Second, they would have reviewed the tape first, right? So they would know what part to delete? If so, then they would have seen that the video showed ... NOTHING. The cameras were not pointing at the scene of the shooting.
#3) Wrong again. Date time stamps on files of video footage would have been sufficient to indicate the time range the videos cover without having to view it.
So, why delete 86 minutes of nothing, risking a charge of tampering with evidence and ending their careers?
Because they would be confident that presumptuous types like yourself would always refuse they would do such a thing, making it safe to do. As it is, one cop's life and career is likely over because one video was NOT deleted.
The other question: Why would the Burger King manager go on record stating to media that video footage WAS deleted, if it didn't happen? You think he'd want a defamation suit for the fun of it?
"Why would the Burger King manager go on record stating to media that video footage WAS deleted"
What's he gonna say -- "Aw yeah. That video don't record half the time. Sure I'm the manager and it was my responsibility to fix it, but I figured, f**k it."
Do YOU think he wants to be fired?
"Date time stamps on files of video footage would have been sufficient to indicate the time range the videos cover without having to view it."
Are those time stamps accurate? Would you trust them when it's so easy to simply play the tape? Wouldn't you be curious to see what's on the tape?
"#2) You're wrong. It only takes one person sitting at the keyboard to innocuously do a delete while the other cops are looking the other way, whether on cue or not."
They all watch the tape. I mean, that's why they're there, right? Then the "person behind the grassy keyboard" deletes a portion.
And when one of them says, "Hey. Let me see that one more time", then what?
