Chicago police officer indicted for murder one for shooting teen 'without lawful justification'
A Chicago police officer accused of firing 16 shots “without lawful justification” at a 17-year-old who was moving away from him has been indicted for first-degree murder.
It is the first time in almost 35 years that a police officer has been indicted for first-degree murder concerning an on-duty death, the Chicago Tribune (reg. req.) reports.
Jason Van Dyke, 37, was also indicted Tuesday for official misconduct in the October 2014 shooting on the city’s Southwest Side. The indictment (PDF) follows an announcement last month by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez that he would be charged with first-degree murder in the death of Laquan McDonald. She made the announcement hours before the city, as ordered by a Cook County judge, made dash cam video of the McDonald shooting public.
Van Dyke spent almost a week in jail before he was freed Nov. 30 on $1.5 million bond. He is expected to appear Friday before a judge in the Leighton Criminal Court Building and plead not guilty. His lawyer couldn’t be reached Wednesday for comment, the Tribune reports, but he said earlier that his client feared for his life when he fired the shots at McDonald.
The city earlier agreed to pay a $5 million settlement to McDonald’s survivors, prior to the filing of a lawsuit.
The controversial case has sparked protests and a federal civil rights investigation, forced police Superintendent Garry McCarthy out of office and led to calls for Alvarez and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to exit their jobs as well.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Chicago cop is charged with murder in teen’s shooting death; video will be released by Wednesday”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Justice Department will investigate use of deadly force by Chicago police”
