Crime & Law
On Laquan McDonald’s Birthday, Duckworth Reintroduces Bill Aiming to Prevent Police-Involved Deaths
The scene of the Laquan McDonald shooting taken on the night of the fatal incident is shown on a screen to jurors during the trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (Chicago Police Department)
On what would have been Laquan McDonald’s 29th birthday, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is reintroducing legislation that would incentivize the use of independent, impartial investigations into the use of deadly force by law enforcement officials.
Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said the proposed legislation — known as the Police Training and Independent Review Act — would help restore trust between law enforcement officials and the communities they serve.
“From Chicago to Louisville or anywhere in America, we cannot allow ourselves to accept that Black teenagers, men and women are still being unjustly executed at the hands of law enforcement without judge or jury,” Duckworth said in a statement.
McDonald was 17 when he was shot 16 times by Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. The teen was killed and police video of the shooting — which was kept from public view for more than a year — showed McDonald was walking away from the officer when Van Dyke opened fire.
That video sparked widespread protests and Van Dyke was later charged in McDonald’s death and convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery in 2018.
“Laquan McDonald’s death was preventable, and Congress still has yet to do enough to ensure tragedies like his never happen again,” Duckworth said.
The senator said her legislation would create financial incentives for states to require law enforcement training on fair and impartial policing as well as best practices for working with members of the community who are disabled or have mental illnesses.
The bill would also encourage communities to use independent prosecutors to investigate law enforcement officials’ use of deadly force. A special prosecutor was brought in to handle Van Dyke’s trial after then-Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez recused her office over criticism of her handling of the case.
According to Duckworth’s office, police kill more than 1,000 people each year nationwide, though fewer than 3% of those killings result in an officer being charged with a crime.
If passed, the legislation would authorize the U.S. attorney general to award grants to states that require an independent investigation and, if warranted, prosecution in cases where law enforcement officers are accused of causing death or serious bodily harm.
“Laquan McDonald’s death was preventable, and Congress still has yet to do enough to ensure tragedies like his never happen again,” Duckworth said. “Families like Laquan McDonald’s that have experienced heartbreak are no less deserving of justice than any other family. It’s time our country acts to ensure accountability within our law enforcement agencies and provide justice to those who have lost loved ones.”
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