CHICAGO (AP) – A judge has upheld the firing of a Chicago police officer for his role in the alleged cover-up of police actions in the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald. Judge Sophia Hall on Thursday ruled the Chicago Police Board made a sound decision in dismissing Officer Ricardo Viramontes for making statements inconsistent with dashcam video showing Officer Jason Van Dyke’s shooting of the 17-year-old. Attorney Tom Needham says Viramontes is disappointed by the ruling. Last month, judges upheld the firings of Sgt. Stephen Franko and Officer Daphne Sebastian. A fourth officer, Janet Mondragon, is awaiting a judge’s decision in an appeal of her dismissal.
