*Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, 40, the white male who murdered Black teen Laquan McDonald, was reportedly beaten in his prison cell this week, and now wife is seeking sympathy from the community.
Tiffany Van Dyke cried Wednesday during a press conference as she described learning that her husband was attacked in prison after he was unexpectedly transferred to an out-of-state correctional facility.
“I don’t know how safe he is. I don’t know the extent of his injuries,” she said. “At the end of the day, I want my husband home. I want him to be safe. I don’t need people to go into his cell and attack him … I cannot bury my husband.”
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As reported by NBC News, Van Dyke’s defense team said the assault occurred at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, a low-security prison that houses both men and women.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed an attack occurred and that it resulted in “minor injuries” to Van Dyke.
“The BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population, our staff, and the public,” the bureau said in a statement.
Jason Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times during an encounter in October 2014. The incident was captured on a police dash cam and sparked racial tension and political unrest in the city.
“I cannot and will not stand by somebody hurting my husband, hurting my family more than we’ve already been hurt. We are done being hurt,” said Mrs. Van Dyke.
“They are punishing him for being who he is. Everybody said it from Day 1: This is a race issue. This is a gigantic race issue,” Tiffany said. “They put my husband in a setting to be harmed because of the fact he was a white man who harmed a black gentleman in the line of duty.”
Adding, “My husband is a police officer. He is a stand-up man. He has always been a stand-up human being. This has already finished. He’s had his trial. He was convicted. Everybody got what they wanted. They had my husband put away. All he wanted to do was melt to the background, do his time and come home to his family. Unfortunately, he is not being afforded that right.”
Van Dyke was sentenced Jan. 18 for second-degree murder and faces almost seven years behind bars.
