Jury Convicts Former East Cleveland Police Officer On Multiple Charges

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Former East Cleveland police commander Larry McDonald Jr. was convicted today on several charges stemming from a 2023 car chase that ended in a crash.
You can watch the bodycam footage below.
In March 2023, McDonald was involved in a traffic stop on Ivanhoe Road. The suspect fled and quickly crashed into a bus stop. McDonald, instead of assisting the driver – or at least calling for help – simply turned around and drove away. He didn’t even file a police report. His bodycam later captured video of him in a lounge engaging in explicit conversations with an unknown woman.
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McDonald initially denied being involved in the chase, but video from his bodycam was ultimately used to prove his guilt.
According to a report from FOX 8, McDonald was convicted of “tampering with records, obstructing official business (two counts), dereliction of duty, telecommunications fraud, and tampering with evidence.”
McDonald ended up resigning the same day East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard recommended his termination.
Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
McDonald’s conviction comes roughly a week after Cleveland.com reported that East Cleveland residents have the lowest income in the United States. The median family income in East Cleveland is just over $37,000 per year, as described by the American Community Survey. Low-income cities typically have higher crime rates due to poverty, economic inequality and lack of resources.
But that doesn’t excuse police officers from doing what they’re being paid to do.
This is a developing story.
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