CHICAGO (AP) — A judge is expected to decide if the murder trial of a white Chicago police officer charged in the shooting death of a black teenager should be moved out of the city.
Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke walks toward the judge’s bench during a hearing for the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, in Chicago. Attorneys for Van Dyke, who is charged with murder in the 2014 fatal shooting, announced Friday that they will stick with a jury for the trial rather than have a judge decide the case. (Antonio Perez /Chicago Tribune via AP)
Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan has said he’ll announce his decision Monday morning.
Defense attorneys requested that the trial be moved because the extensive publicity since the 2015 release of the video that shows Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times makes it impossible to find impartial jurors needed for a fair trial.
But after attorneys were able to select a jury in less than a week, it seems likely that Gaughan will keep the trial in Chicago.
If that happens, prosecutors could begin their opening statements to jurors Monday morning.
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