Jason Van Dyke Trial: What You Need To Know

CHICAGO, IL -- The trial of the century starts Monday at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building, where 12 jurors will decide if it was murder or self defense when a white Chicago police officer allegedly shot a black teen on a chilly fall night in October 2014. Opening statements will get underway in the trial of Jason Van Dyke, who has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder, 16 counts of aggravated battery and one count of official misconduct. In what may be the most critical strategic move in the trial, Van Dyke decided to cast his fate to twelve of his peers. A motion for a change of venue outside of Cook County is still pending.

The defendant: Jason Van Dyke, 40, was a 14-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department at the time of the on-duty shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. He grew up in unincorporated DuPage County and graduated from Hinsdale South High School in Darien. During Van Dyke’s law enforcement career he received 53 commendations, but the embattled cop also logged more than 20 complaints of excessive force complaints and at least one more for using a racial slur. One of the cases resulted in a jury awarding $350,000 to a man after determining that Van Dyke used excessive force during a traffic stop. Also, without any discussion, the Chicago City Council voted to award Laquan McDonald’s mother $5 million, who had not yet filed a lawsuit against the city. Van Dyke shows up for his court hearings wearing a bullet resistant vest. He told the Chicago Tribune in his first and only pre-trial interview that “I’m not a racist.”

The Victim: Laquan McDonald, whose name has been shouted by legions of protesters since the release of a police dash cam video showing the last violent moments of his life, spend most of his 17 years as a ward of the state, shuttled between foster and relatives’ homes. His mother, Tina Hunter, was working on a petition to regain custody of her son and a sister in an attempt to reunite the family. The principal of the alternative high school which McDonald had been attending at the time of his death, told NBC Chicago 5 that there was evidence that the youth was trying to get his life back on track. On the night of his death, McDonald had allegedly been burglarizing trucks in a lot near 41st Street and Pulaski Road. He also had PCP in his system, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner. The principal of his high school said, “It takes a while to get a life back on track … Unfortunately with Laquan we never got to finish his story.”

The Video: It may be the most infamous video excerpt since the 30-second home movie of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Shortly before 10 p.m. Oct. 20, 2014, Chicago police responded to a call of a “man with a knife acting erratically.” Laquan reportedly carried a three-inch folding knife and allegedly slashed a tire on a patrol car. The teen walked away from police, who police claim ignored their commands to drop the knife. Van Dyke is said to have roared up to the scene and within seconds of exiting his police vehicle, fired 16 shots at McDonald as he walked away from police officers. McDonald spun around on the first shot and crumpled to the ground, when Van Dyke is alleged to have fired his gun at least 13 more times at the dying teen. Van Dyke, corroborated by five other police officers, claimed that McDonald lunged at them. Just weeks after shooting, an insider at the Chicago Police Department tipped off activist William Calloway that the dash cam video was “horrible.” Calloway was put in contact with freelance journalist Brandon Smith, who made several attempts to aquire the video via the Freedom of Information Act. A judge ordered the video to be released in November 2015, sparking months of “16 Shots And A Cover-Up” protests.

The Attorneys: The people’s case is being prosecuted by Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon. Representing Van Dyke is defense attorney Daniel Herbert.

The Judge: Presiding over the trial is Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan, a Vietnam War veteran. Gaughan was the judge in over such other high profile cases as the Brown’s Chicken Massacre and singer R. Kelly’s child pornography trials.

The Jury: The jury is comprised of eight woman and four men. Seven are white, three are Hispanic and one is of Asian descent. Only one of the jurors is African-American. During jury selection, prosecutors accused defense attorneys of dismissing potential black jurors.

The Courtroom: Expect a packed courtroom in Room 500 at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building. Laquan’s mother, Tina Hunter, and his great uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, along with 20 family members plan to be in the courtroom each day of the trial. Van Dyke’s wife, Tiffany, and his father, Owen, who’s accompanied his son for all of his court hearings, will also be in the gallery.

Watch the Trial: Members of the public who wish to view the trial may sign up from 2 to 6 p.m. in the lobby of the Leighton Criminal Courts Building, 2600 W. California Ave., Chicago, the afternoon before the next day’s proceedings. Only a limited number of seats will be available. CLTV will be carrying live coverage of the trial.

Stay tuned to Patch for trial updates.

Photo: Getty Images