CNN's Blitzer Asks If Officer Who Shot Chicago Teen Was Charged With Murder To Avert Protest Violence

Written by Cristiano Lima

Published

CNN host Wolf Blitzer questioned whether Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of a teen, merely as an attempt to avoid potential violence. The Chicago Police Department announced Tuesday that Van Dyke will face first degree murder charges in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. City officials also announced that they will release the 'graphic' footage of the shooting death of the black teen, which some city leaders “worried would inflame tensions and lead to the heated protests seen across the country over the last year.” On the November 24 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer asked whether the potential for violence played a role in the charge against Van Dyke:

WOLF BLITZER: Sunny Hostin, in charging the officer Van Dyke with first-degree murder did the prosecutor evaluate the potential for violence on the streets, if you will? In other words if it would have been a second-degree murder charge or negligent homicide, something along those lines, potentially the anger could've been much more intense given the graphic nature of the dash cam video.

SUNNY HOSTIN: Well prosecutors aren't supposed to take that into consideration, Wolf. I mean prosecutors are seeking justice. They're seeking the truth. They're seeking to really find out what happened. So you don't really consider that when you're filing charges. 

Related: 

Chicago Police Officer Charged With Murder In Shooting Of Black Teenager As City Prepares To Release 'Graphic' Video

Previously: 

O'Reilly: Violence In Chicago Comes From “A Culture That Is Sociopathic”

Bill O'Reilly On Chicago Violence: “This Is Real Racism, You Black Lives Matter Fools”

CNN's Bizarrely Homophobic Coverage Of The Virginia Shooter