Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Tuesday, July 11, 2017.
Three Chicago police officers connected to Laquan McDonald case plead not guilty
Three Chicago police officers pleaded not guilty “to conspiring to cover up what happened the night Laquan McDonald was shot to death” Monday, according to the Sun-Times. Officers Joseph Walsh and David March (both of whom have already retired) as well as officer Thomas Gaffney were indicted in June on charges of conspiracy, official misconduct, and obstruction of justice in connection with the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by CPD officer Jason Van Dyke, now charged with first-degree murder along with 16 counts of aggravated assault. But according to the Tribune, Diane Cannon, the Cook County judge appointed on Monday to preside over the case after the first judge, Mary Margaret Brosnehan, recused herself from the case for unannounced reasons—has been judged by an appeals court as being “known for a somewhat harsh demeanor in court” and is “generally viewed as being pro-prosecution and pro-police.” [Sun-Times] [Tribune]
