Ex-officer who killed Laquan McDonald is set to leave prison

CHICAGO (AP) — The imminent release from prison of the former Chicago police officer who shot Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014, killing the Black teenager, is a reminder for some of what they say is an unfair criminal justice system.

The arrest and 2018 conviction of Jason Van Dyke was hailed as a landmark moment for the city, which hadn’t had an officer found guilty of murder for an on-duty killing in roughly half a century.

But critics say the fact that Van Dyke, who is white, was sentenced to 81 months behind bars and will be released after serving less than half that time is a “slap in the face” and a signal that “Black lives don’t matter as much as other lives.”