Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Thursday, April 13, 2016.
- Weather: Warmer and sunnier
It will be another beautiful spring day, with a high of 57 and a low of 42. It’s supposed to be even sunnier than Wednesday. [AccuWeather]
- Shooting death of Pierre Loury sparks protests and questions
Pierre Loury, 16, was shot to death by police in the Homan Square area Monday night after allegedly threatening a cop with a gun during a foot chase. A witness and a police source told the Tribune that Loury was scaling a fence and that his clothes had been caught on it when he was shot dead. It’s no surprise that many questions are being raised about his death; a vigil and a protest were held in his honor Tuesday evening. [Tribune]
- An accuser will take the stand at Dennis Hastert sentencing
Two witnesses are expected to speak at former U.S. House speaker Dennis Hastert’s sentencing hearing April 27—an accuser known only as “Individual D” and the sister of a deceased accuser, according to prosecutors. Hastert pleaded guilty to breaking a banking law in order to keep silent an accuser referred to as “Individual A” in court papers. The disgraced politician could serve time in prison. [ABC7 Chicago]
- Police task force: “The community’s lack of trust in CPD is justified”
Racism plagues the Chicago Police Department, according to a new report from the accountability task force appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The report paints a scathing and troubling picture of the police, and says that data shows many officers have “no regard” for the lives of minorities. Emanuel said he’s not surprised by the alleged racism and hopes personnel and policy changes will solve the issue. The progress might have already started; around the same time the report was released, Eddie Johnson was officially appointed as CPD’s new superintendent. [New York Times] [WBEZ]
- Even the police reportedly didn’t know who was interrogated at Homan Square
The Guardian has continued to investigate the Chicago Police Department’s alleged “black site” at Homan Square. The paper’s latest story reveals that the site was so secretive that even police couldn’t be sure who was being held and/or interrogated there. An internal memo revealed that many Homan Square records “existed largely outside Chicago police’s electronic records system.” [Guardian]
- Graceland Cemetery is even more interesting than you thought
Historic Graceland Cemetery lies just blocks north of the rowdiness of Wrigleyville, but it is the final resting place of many prominent Chicagoans—Marshall Field, Daniel Burnham, Joseph Medill, and even Charles Dickens’s brother are all buried there. A walking tour of the cemetery will be held Saturday in honor of Obscura Day, which celebrates “the world’s most curious and awe-inspiring places.” [DNAinfo Chicago]