Van Dyke Trial: Officer Convicted of Second Degree Murder at McDonald's Laquan

Van Dyke is the subject of two counts of first degree murder, 16 aggravated battery heads and one foul of a public official. He risks being jailed for life if he is convicted.

The jurors learned Thursday that they could also consider a second degree murder.

The panel of eight women and four men – seven white, one black, three Hispanic and one Asian – began its deliberations Thursday afternoon.

Van Dyke is the first police officer in Chicago to be charged with first degree murder since 1980.

Video showing the protests led by shots, an investigation of the Ministry of Justice on civil rights, criticism of the mayor of the city and finally the ouster of the Superintendent of Police.

The city is planning possible protests in a high-profile case that has already provoked demonstrations.

"The Chicago Police Service has a comprehensive operational plan to ensure public safety in all our neighborhoods while protecting the rights of peaceful protests," police said.

What the jurors heard in closing

Before Judge Vincent Gaughan dismissed them on Thursday night, the jurors requested a transcript of the testimony of former officer Joseph Walsh, Van Dyke's partner, the night of McDonald's death.

In closing arguments, a prosecutor stated that Van Dyke had shown no respect for the life of the black teenager, while the defense had introduced him as a police veteran caught at the trap of a tragedy but not a murder.

Deputy Attorney General Jody Gleason told the jury that Van Dyke was planning to shoot McDonald before even meeting the young man in the street.

"You've heard that he said," I guess we'll have to shoot him, "said Gleason, referring to a testimony about what Van Dyke told his partner before he arrived. on site.

"It's not the knife in Laquan's hand that pushed the accused to kill him that night – it was his indifference to the value of Laquan's life."

When Van Dyke appeared at the helm on Tuesday, Gleason asked for a statement he'd made to his partner as they approached the filming location: "Oh my God, we're going to have to shoot the guy. "

"I thought the officers were under attack," Van Dyke said.

Gleason told the jury on Thursday: "We know the defendant was planning to shoot Laquan even before he got off his vehicle … and he never adjusted his state of mind. "

The defense attorney, Daniel Herbert, in his conclusion, sought to dismiss one piece of evidence in the center of the case: a video of the shooting.

"We have to look at this from the point of view of Jason Van Dyke," he said.

He added: "The state wants to watch the last two minutes of this film without knowing the context."

Herbert said that there was no doubt that the case was tragic, but that it did not constitute murder.

"It's a tragedy that could have been avoided with a simple gesture," he said. "At any moment of those 20 minutes of rampage – if Laquan McDonald had dropped that knife – he would have been there today."

Van Dyke told the jury on Tuesday that McDonald's face was expressionless – "his eyes widened out of his head" – as the teenager continued to "advance" on him, holding a knife.

Standing at about 10 or 15 feet, McDonald's "turned his chest toward me," said the officer.

"He waved the knife from his lower right side up, across his body, towards my left shoulder," said the officer, seeming to be strangled when he was showed the action to the jurors.

The officer told the jury that he had then shot McDonald's.