Cop in Laquan McDonald Shooting Sacrificed to 'Angry Mob' by Prosecutors: Lawyer

CHICAGO, IL — Lawyers for the Chicago police officer accused of fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014 filed a second motion Friday to drop the murder charge against their client, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The motion claims the hurriedly assembled grand jury was "deceived on critical issues" by prosecutors wanting to "sacrifice [Officer] Jason Van Dyke to the angry mob out there," the report added.

Friday's motion follows a request in January to dismiss the first-degree murder charge against Van Dyke. The earlier motion argues that statements by Van Dyke and other officers to the Independent Police Review Authority and Chicago's Office of Inspector General were obtained by threatening the officers with losing their jobs, making those statements off limits in a criminal case.

The new request before Judge Vincent Gaughan contends an FBI agent inaccurately told grand jurors where on the body McDonald was shot and that video and audio evidence had been tampered with by Van Dyke and other cops, the Sun-Times reports. The grand jury also was wrongly told that no law exists allowing police to use force, the report added.

RELATED: Drop Murder Case, Chicago Cop Accused of Fatally Shooting Laquan McDonald Asks Judge

Gaughan has not ruled on either motion and said lawyers would argue them in open court if needed, according to the report. Van Dyke's next court is set for March 23.

Van Dyke, 38, is accused of shooting McDonald 16 times Oct. 20, 2014, during an incident on the city's South Side. Initial police reports claimed the teen was swinging a knife and lunging at Van Dyke before the officer opened fire.

But after a contentious legal battle with city officials that lasted more than a year, a judge ordered the release of a video from a police dashboard camera that told a different story. In the video, McDonald is not seen as aggressively moving toward Van Dyke. Instead, he's seen walking away from Van Dyke when he is shot, and the officer continues to fire even after McDonald is on the ground.

Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in November of 2015. His bail was set at $1.5 million, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

More via the Chicago Sun-Times

Patch Coverage of the Laquan McDonald Shooting

• Teen Shot 16 Times by Chicago Police a ‘Modern-Day Emmett Till’
• Video Shows Jason Van Dyke Shoot Laquan McDonald
• Police Reports of 'Lunging, Knife-Swinging' Laquan McDonald Contradict Video
• Chicago Cop Charged in ‘Graphic, Violent, Chilling’ Murder
• Jason Van Dyke's Bail Set at $1.5 Million
• Jason Van Dyke Pleads Not Guilty to First-Degree Murder
• Justice Department Will Investigate Chicago Police
• Police Union Stands by Officer Charged in Murder of Teen
• 8 Cops in Laquan McDonald Case Should be Fired: Chicago Police Superintendent
• Witness to Laquan McDonald Shooting Claims Cops Pressured Her to Retract Story: Lawsuit
• Laquan McDonald Shooting: How Did Chicago Mark the Tragedy 2 Years Later?

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke (inset) is being charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. (photo via Patch archive)

Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Live Traffic and Transit Updates