Readers React: Laquan McDonald death: Good cops need to stop defending bad cops

To the editor: After what appears to be yet another execution of a young African American male — this time in Chicago — by a white police officer, it’s just too much to continue to stomach. (“Chicago officer charged with murder in shooting death of black teen,” Nov. 24)

Now, whenever I hear that the white officer believed he was being “threatened” or that the black man “lunged” at him, absent video exonerating him, I just assume the officer is lying.

It is exhausting knowing there are rogue police officers who get away with murder. They are a blight on their profession and society.

But until the good cops, police unions and government leaders do something to rid themselves of these killer cops — instead of defending them to the point of cover-up — expect the murders and the distrust to continue.

Eugene Sison, San Dimas

..

To the editor: Here is a question I haven’t heard so far about the Laquan McDonald case.

According to the video footage, a group of officers were dealing with McDonald, who had PCP in his system and was walking down the middle of the street. He didn’t appear to be threatening to the officers.

Yet one officer shoots him, knocking McDonald to the ground. McDonald is then shot more than a dozen times.

Here’s my question: If one officer appeared to be murdering McDonald, should other officers have intervened forcefully to protect him? Seems like an important question that deserves to be answered.

Greg Dahlen, Glendale

..

To the editor: Before this video was released, McDonald’s family won a $5-million settlement from the city of Chicago. I am still confused by how often agencies pay settlements for shootings that are found to be within policy and for which the officer remains on duty.

I just don’t get it: Why pay a multimillion-dollar settlement if officers did nothing wrong? A settlement means they were wrong.

But my biggest confusion is over how police deem a knife like the one McDonald was carrying as threatening as a gun. I know most people, if not all, would rather face someone with a knife than with a gun, especially at a distance. So how do the police justify shooting someone with a knife?

I just don’t get it and I never will. But I do know that it has to stop, and maybe with cameras it will.

Anita Roglich, Santa Monica

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook