Officers Found Not Guilty In Cover-Up Of Laquan McDonald Shooting

CHICAGO — Three Chicago police officers were found not guilty Thursday of conspiring to cover up the police shooting of Laquan McDonald. The officers were accused of filing false police reports and coordinating their stories after former officer Jason Van Dyke shot the 17-year-old 16 times in 2014.

Officer Thomas Gaffney, retired officers Joseph Walsh and David March were on trial for conspiracy, obstruction of justice and official misconduct charges.

Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson ruled that the state did not meet the burden of proof, and the officers were found not guilty on all counts.

All three men waived their right to a jury trial and instead opted to have Stephenson decide their fate.

A dashcam video that showed McDonald walking away from Van Dyke before the shooting sparked uproar across the country.

Prosecutors compared police reports to the dashcam video and called on state witnesses; however, Stephenson said the evidence did not prove the officers' guilt 'beyond a reasonable doubt.'

Stephenson questioned why witness Jose Torres didn't immediately tell police he witnessed the shooting. The judge also said that the testimony of Officer Dora Fontaine wasn't credible.

Prosecutors said the video proved McDonald wasn't a threat, even though he was carrying a knife; however in police reports, Gaffney and Walsh each checked a box that indicated McDonald used force likely to cause great bodily harm or death.

March, who was the detective investigating the shooting, wasn't on the scene when McDonald was killed; however prosecutors said he fabricated the narrative to cover up the death.

The officers' attorneys said each man was just doing his job and filled out their reports based on their perspectives of the scene, which were similar. The attorneys said the reports contained mistakes, but that there was no conspiracy or "intent to mislead."

Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery last year. He is scheduled to be sentenced this Friday, and faces up to 96 years in prison.

Read also:

• Van Dyke's Partner Testifies Laquan McDonald Was A 'Threat'
  
• Van Dyke Gives Emotional Testimony In Laquan McDonald Trial
  
• Van Dyke Atty. Warns Of 'Ferguson Effect' Amid 'Historic' Verdict

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