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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Laquan McDonald was a 17-year-old Chicago
3teenager and Illinois resident who was shot 16 times by then
4officer Jason Van Dyke on October 20, 2014 and died as a result
5of his injuries; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Jason Van Dyke was charged with one count of
7second degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery and
8found guilty by a jury of his peers in the atrocious murder of
9teenager Laquan McDonald; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In the aftermath of this tragedy, on December 7,
112015, former United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch
12announced that the United States Department of Justice Civil
13Rights Division launched an investigation into the practices
14and conduct that resulted in the death of Laquan McDonald; and
 
15    WHEREAS, On January 13, 2017, the United States Department
16of Justice Civil Rights Division and the United States
17Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois released a
18joint report that disclosed incidents, patterns, and practices
19deemed to be in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United
20States Constitution; and
 
21    WHEREAS, There has been a longstanding cyclical, painful,

 

 

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1and robustly uncomfortable history of trauma and broken trust
2between our communities and law enforcement; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Laquan McDonald's inalienable right to exist was
4prematurely snatched from him before he could truly live in
5its potential; protecting that right is of paramount
6importance for every child in our state; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Laquan McDonald's civil rights were blatantly and
8inexplicably violated 16 times by Jason Van Dyke on October
920, 2014; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The General Assembly has a vested interest in
11promoting and supporting mechanisms towards healing the wounds
12of this inhumane tragedy; and
 
13    WHEREAS, United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland
14and the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights
15Division consider and are committed to fostering bonds and
16creating safer and fairer communities, demonstrating
17dedication to equity in our federal judicial system, and
18challenging the constructs that allow for systemic violations
19of our civil and human rights; and
 
20    WHEREAS, No statute of limitations exist for federal
21offenses of civil rights violations that result in death;

 

 

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1therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4we urge the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights
5Division to investigate and charge Jason Van Dyke for his
6multiple violations of the civil rights of Laquan McDonald.