Attorney: Chicago cop ‘wasn’t even at shooting’ of teenager

CHICAGO – An attorney for a Chicago police sergeant facing dismissal over the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014 says he opposes combining his client’s case with that of the officer who fired the fatal shots and three other officers.

Sgt. Stephen Franko’s attoney, Thomas Pleines (PLY’-nuhs), spoke Monday at a Chicago Police Board hearing. Pleines says Franko “wasn’t even at the shooting.”

But an attorney for the city says Franko signed paperwork “hours following the shooting.” The city wants to consolidate the cases to save resources.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson moved last month to fire Officer Jason Van Dyke, three other patrol officers and Franko.

Video released last year showed Van Dyke shooting the 17-year-old McDonald 16 times. Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to murder.

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