State's Attorney Recuses Self from Prosecution of Officer Van Dyke Following Petition
Following a petition for a special prosector in the case of the Laquan McDonald shooting, filed by the Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project jointly with Northwestern University and the People's Law Office, the Chicago Tribune reports:
In a surprise change of heart, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez dropped her opposition Thursday to a special prosecutor in the killing of Laquan McDonald and said her office would withdraw from the bombshell case.
Alvarez denied her office had a conflict of interest as critics had alleged in calling for a special prosecutor, but she said her recusal was "the best and most responsible decision" because of her resounding re-election loss in the Democratic primary in March.
With Alvarez set to leave office after the November general election, she said a special prosecutor would "provide continuity in the handling of this very important and complicated case."