PRISON SENTENCE FOR THE MURDER OF A BLACK TEEN WHO WAS ASSAULTED BY FELLOW INMATES.
prison
sentence for the murder of a black teen, was assaulted by fellow inmates soon
after being transferred to a prison in Connecticut earlier this month, the
ex-cop’s attorney tells USA TODAY.
Van
Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, who is the midst of a nearly
seven-year Dyke, who was convicted in October for second-degree murder and 16
counts of aggravated battery with a firearm for the 2014 shooting death of
Laquan McDonald, was beaten soon after being transferred to a new prison, says
Jennifer Blagg, a defense attorney assisting Van Dyke on his appeal. The ex-cop
was sentenced last month to an 81-month sentence for the state charges.
Federal
records show he is being held at a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut.
In this
Dec. 14, 2018, file photo, former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, left,
appears for a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, in
Chicago. (Photo: Antonio Perez, AP)
Blagg
declined to detail his injuries. A source close to the Van Dyke family who was
not authorized to comment to the media told USA TODAY that Van Dyke suffered
facial injuries in the Feb. 5 attack.
Van
Dyke had been held at a jail in western Illinois as he awaited sentencing,
because authorities in Chicago feared they could not assure his safety in the
Cook County Jail. Since his sentencing, Blagg
said that Van Dyke had been held in at least
one other facility before he was moved to Danbury.
“He was
in another facility where he felt safe and then he was moved (to Connecticut),”
Blagg said.
A spokesperson
for the Illinois Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to
requests for comment about the incident and why Van Dyke was placed in federal
custody.
The
injuries were not life-threatening but nonetheless jarring to Van Dyke and his
family, who have expressed concern that prison officials will not be able to
keep him safe.
“We are
all petrified and in fear for Jason’s life,” Tiffany Van Dyke told the
Sun-Times. “It is the prison’s job to keep him safe, and they’re not doing
their job. I want this rectified immediately. He was never supposed to be in
the general population.”
Van
Dyke’s defense team has been in contact with the Illinois Department of
Correction to discuss about his safety in the aftermath of the incident, Blagg
said.
“Jason
runs into problems because of what he represents and there are inmates who
resent that and would be proud to say they are the guy that beat him up or hurt
him,” Blagg told USA TODAY. “We’re obviously concerned because what he’s come
to symbolize.”
Van Dyke
shot McDonald in an encounter that began after police were called to a parking
lot on the Southwest Side of Chicago on the evening of Oct. 20, 2014. Police
received reports of a person breaking into trucks and stealing radios.
Officers arrived
to find the 17-year-old McDonald walking erratically in the street with a small
knife.
Van
Dyke pulled up to the scene, got out of his squad car and within seconds opened
fire. He shot the teen 16 times. The shooting was captured on police dashcam
video, which appears to show McDonald moving away from Van Dyke when he opened
fire.
Illinois
Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced this week that he had petitioned the
Illinois Supreme Court to order a resentencing of Van Dyke, arguing the trial
judge did not follow state laws in the sentencing process. Raoul argues Van
Dyke should face a sentence of no less than 18 years in prison.
Van
Dyke’s defense team also announced this week that they would appeal the former
officer’s conviction.
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