Fresh off the heels of a semi-victory with the Chicago Police Department, Dakota Bright‘s murderer has his job reinstated as a Chicago police officer.
The decision came less than a week after the conclusion of the high-profile trial of Chicago officer Jason Van Dyke, who was found guilty of second-degree murder for the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald. Brandon Ternand murdered Dakota Bright in 2012.
Ternand fatally shot Bright in the back of the head under shady circumstances, which still have never been clearly explained. The sparse details note that the teenager was fleeing from the police and was more than 50 feet away from Ternand when he was shot dead. 50 FEET.
There were claims of cops seeing a gun in his waistband although nothing was found on his body. How does a kid walking from his friend’s to his grandmother’s house end up with a bullet to the back of the head and nobody faces charges
In August 2017, a recommendation by the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) to fire Ternand was made over Bright’s “unprovoked” and “unwarranted” murder. The case was settled by the city with Bright’s family gaining almost $1 million.
The Chicago Police Board went against the ruling and reinstated the child killing cop back with his position and full pay — roughly $87,000 per year. There was a 5-3 vote in favor of clearing him of all charges and accusations.
Panzy Edwards, Bright’s mother, was shocked and furious when she learned of the decision.
“My baby don’t come home. They hurt me. They is wrong they is wrong on so many levels,” she said.
Is it safe to say that the Chicago Police Department only really wants justice for their own And as long as the city of Chicago can afford to keep doling out millions of dollars worth of settlements for murder, will Black folks ever really be safe
