A Chicago officer chooses a jury trial in the death of a teenager

FILE – On Thursday, September 6, 2018, Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with first degree murder in the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014, listens to a hearing at Leighton Chicago Penal Court. . Defense lawyers should announce if they wish a jury or judge to hear Van Dyke's murder trial. The Cook County Judge, Vincent Gaughan, asked Van Dyke's lawyers to return to court on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 to say they wanted him or a jury to decide the case. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

CHICAGO – Chicago white policeman accused of murder during deadly shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014 announced Friday that they would stay with jurors selected in recent days for trial rather than a judge who would decide the case.

Judge Vincent Gaughan set Friday a deadline for Jason Van Dyke to say he wanted to go to a trial where the judge would have decided the fate of the officer. The opening statements are scheduled for Monday, but the judge must still decide on a defense motion to move the lawsuit out of Cook County, where Chicago is located.

The court has examined and selected 12 jurors and five substitutes during the past week.

The video shows Van Dyke shooting 16 times at McDonald's while the teenager seems to be moving away from the police with a knife in his hand. This will be one of the centerpieces of the lawsuit.

The selection of juries was completed much faster than expected, the prospect question taking only three days. The 12-person jury is made up of seven whites, three Hispanics, one African-American and one Asian-American. The lawyers also chose five substitutes.

Most potential jurors said they saw the police video of the shooting. Some excused jurors said that they could not be impartial after what they had seen on the video.

The release of the video in November 2015 sparked major protests, ousting the police superintendent and police reform requests.

Even those who were selected for the panel expressed their concern, the last juror having said that the policeman had "gone too far" when he shot at the 17-year-old.