Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was tried and convicted in 2018 in the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was convicted Friday of second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, marking a stunning end to a racially tinged case that roiled the city when now-infamous police dashboard camera video of the shooting was released three years ago by court order. Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer in half a century to be found guilty of murder for an on-duty shooting. He faces a minimum of 6 years in prison when he’s sentenced by Judge Vincent Gaughan. READ THE FULL STORY HERE. Across Chicago, demonstrators watched silently, riveted to hand-held screens, as the verdict was read. They pressed their ears to cellphone speakers, straining to hear. When the jury forewoman finished reading the verdicts, some crowds erupted in cheers. READ MORE ABOUT HOW CHICAGOANS REACTED HERE. The Tribune had reporters at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, at McDonald’s great uncle’s church and elsewhere throughout the city as news that the jury had reached a verdict spread. Here’s what our reporters saw and heard: 6:20 p.m. Pastors praise jury’s decision Almost a dozen Christian pastors gathered in the square beneath the Chicago Water Tower a few hours after the verdicts were announced. The religious leaders applauded the jury’s decision and vowed to work more to reform the Police Department, which the Rev. Marshall Hatch said was stuck in the ways of the 1960s. “This jury really almost represents a 21st-century Chicago,” the pastor from New Mount Church said. The Rev. Carey Casey, a pastor at Lawndale Christian Community Church, invoked the teachings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as he echoed calls for an overhaul of the city’s police department. “We’re moving forward,” he said. “It’s like an idea whose time has come.”The group paused and bowed their heads together in prayer amid the buzz of Friday evening traffic. “Lord,” Carey said, “we thank you for justice.” -- Katie Galioto READ MORE: Jurors in Jason Van Dyke trial say officer’s claim of self-defense did not match video 6:05 p.m. Laquan McDonald’s great uncle says family wanted justice, not revenge Laquan McDonald’s great uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, praised the verdicts as a watershed moment in the country’s civil rights history hours after he walked out of the courthouse to cheers on Friday evening. During a 20-minute address from the sanctuary of Grace Memorial Baptist Church on the West Side, Hunter said the family will be better able to forgive Van Dyke when the convicted officer asks for forgiveness. “I want the world to know that you just can’t go around forgiving people who, number one, didn’t think they’ve done anything wrong. And, number two, never asked for forgiveness. Jason Van Dyke has never asked this family for forgiveness, period, at all. And I’m not in the business of forgiving people that don’t think they need forgiving. But at the end of the day, I can say that I did feel compassion for that family.” “This family has never once asked for revenge,” Hunter said. “This family wanted justice, because revenge belongs to God and it is God’s alone. We don’t get to share in that.” Hunter instead urged supporters to direct their anger to voting booths during upcoming City Council races, and at a police contract he repeatedly denounced as a “law” that limits the power of police officials to fire bad cops. “I’m saying to you, Chicago and America, let us begin healing. But let us not heal and become docile. Let us heal and become motivated and activated,” Hunter said. “This is America,” Hunter said later. “Every man should have his day in court. Unfortunately Jason Van Dyke did not give Laquan McDonald his day in court. He chose to be judge, jury and executioner. Now his fate has been sealed, and so we pray that God will have mercy on him and that God will have mercy on his family. And we pray that as this city and this county heals, that we can learn how to disagree without being violently disagreeable.” -- Juan Perez Jr. FULL COVERAGE: The trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke 5:40 p.m. Demonstrators disband after blocking Mag Mile traffic A march and demonstration that began with people gathering at City Hall when it was announced the jury had reached a verdict ended about 5:30 p.m. after demonstrators blocked Mag Mile traffic for about an hour. Chicago Heights resident Bryant Williams said he’s been involved in protests since the video of Laquan McDonald’s shooting was released. He was a part of crowds that shut down Mag Mile stores on Black Friday 2015. He joined demonstrations on Christmas Eve. And he took part in a rally held at the site where Laquan was shot. Williams, 32, said the case resonated with him after he said an officer drew a gun on him during a routine traffic stop in Englewood, his former neighborhood. “I feel like that could’ve been me,” Williams said about watching the dash cam footage. “Luckily I was a little bit older and was able to talk with the police officer. But if I was a hot-head and had no people skills, I think the police would’ve took me out. I really believe that.” For that reason, Williams said he needed to be downtown for the protest, which also ended on the Magnificent Mile. Wearing a T-shirt with red, bloody lettering saying “16 shots,” he had mixed feeling when he heard the verdict delivered in his car. “If you shoot a deer outside of hunting season, they are doing more time than that,” Williams said about the second-degree conviction.“I just don’t think that justice prevailed. A lot of people may not agree with me, but I think the system really failed us, again.” -- Tony Briscoe, Ese Olumhense 5:13 p.m. Demonstrators block Mag Mile Michigan Avenue was shut down northbound at Ontario Street a little after 5 p.m., with the group "holding the intersection" at Ontario. Buses and taxis were stopped. Demontrators locked arms at Michigan and Ontario as people in cabs and buses took videos. None of the onlookers looked upset or honked a horn in protest.

-- Ese Olumhense READ MORE: Cheers, tears and relief: Demonstrators react to Jason Van Dyke conviction Despite a verdict that demonstrators largely seemed satisfied with, there was still a great deal of anger and frustration expressed toward police officers handling crowd control. Demonstrators heckled police officers, calling out “Guilty!” At several points, bike cops formed a blockade refusing to let demonstrators pass. Marchers shouted, “Let us through!” In one such instance, at Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street, protesters raised their arms and taunted police, “Hands up — they still shoot!” For the most part, the demonstrations seemed celebratory and onlookers showed their support. Drivers stopped in traffic, sounding their horns in approval. Restaurant workers flashed smiles as they gathered by windows to watch. A woman operating a CTA Brown Line train passing over the protest opened her window, waved and sounded the electronic horn as the crowd cheered. -- Tony Briscoe 4:49 p.m.: Larger systemic police issues need addressing now: independent journalist Jamie Kalven, the first journalist to report on McDonald’s fatal shooting, said it was “quite amazing” to hear 16 separate counts of guilty for each shot fired by Van Dyke. “This case was really about a very narrow question: Did Officer Van Dyke murder Laquan McDonald?,” he said. “I think having resolved that question definitively with this jury verdict, it’s now possible to go forward and address the larger systemic issues, the underlining institutional conditions that for so long allowed for police abuse and then shielded it when it occurs.” “One of the things I felt sitting in the courtroom today was also how extraordinary it is that this decision has been rendered by 12 of our fellow citizens,” Kalven continued. “This in some ways is the ultimate in community participation when it comes to police accountability. We have a great deal of work to do in this city.” READ MORE: Second-degree murder versus first-degree murder, explained 4:31 p.m. Demonstrators march past Millennium Park Visitors at the Bean saw a different slice of the city from what many probably anticipated Friday, when demonstrators rolled by the famed landmark. As the hundreds of demonstrators passed, Millennium Park security shut off entrance to the park at Washington Boulevard. Demonstrators and Chicagoans react Oct. 5, 2018, after Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke is found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery for the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. (Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) Spectators were sympathetic, even though some did not know what had led to Friday's march. "I don't even know what this is about, I just know we can't get into the park," said Nancy Turner, who was visiting Chicago from Eastview, Kentucky. "At least it's peaceful," said Turner, who was in town for only one day. -- Ese Olumhense Back to top 4:15 p.m. Demonstrators march through Loop Demonstrators who gathered at City Hall began marching around the Loop, eventually making their way to Michigan Avenue and marching north from Monroe Street. They started on sidewalks, but took to the streets after a while. Earlier, at Monroe and Wabash Avenue, the shutdown in the streets got emotional. One driver, incensed, got out of her car and began yelling at protesters. She needed to pick up her kids, she said, the exchange getting heated as protesters and the police began responding. At one point, the woman threatened to drive straight through the intersection — regardless of who was in her car's path. Others had similar concerns, but allowed the group to pass. "They're doing what they gotta do, it's OK," said Renetta Hunt, also stopped at the intersection. Hunt, who lives in Washburn, opted to wait the group out. While demonstrators were stopped at Wabash, a CTA “L” train went overhead, and the train operator waved at the crowd. Earlier in the day, many offices closed early and many schools canceled after-school functions. -- Ese Olumhense 4:10 p.m.: Special prosecutor says verdict ‘validation’ for Chicago Special prosecutor Joseph McMahon called the verdict “gratifying” and justice for Laquan McDonald and his family. “This verdict holds Jason Van Dyke accountable for his actions,” McMahon said. He said it also provides “validation” for residents of Chicago. “The end of this trial offers an opportunity for this city to come together,” McMahon said. He said one of the prosecution team’s goals was to “show our criminal justice system treats people equally, particularly those in ‘society’s margins,’ without regard to someone’s status.” “Laquan McDonald was not a throwaway young man,” McMahon said. “He had his challenges as many people do, and he should have been arrested that night. But that’s where this story should have ended.” McMahon said he was "not at all" disappointed that the jury did not convict Van Dyke of first-degree murder. "I respect the jury's verdict,” he said. “They were thoughtful. ...It is crystal clear that they took their oath and responsibility very seriously." McMahon said he spoke with McDonald’s mother, Tina Hunter, after the verdict but would not detail the conversation. “This is a difficult day for Tina Hunter,” he said. “She has to continue to relive the worst moment of her life over and over. She’s had to relive that moment with national attention. …I don’t think Tina will ever heal from this wound.” READ MORE: 'This kid had an impact on people': The troubled life and fleeting potential of Laquan McDonald 3:59 p.m. Police union president calls verdict ‘unfortunate’ Kevin Graham, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, called the verdict “unfortunate” but said he was “certainly not blaming the jury.” He said the FOP disagreed with “how some evidence didn’t get into the case.”

“We do think Jason has a tough road to go right now, but he is not standing alone,” Graham said following the verdict. “The Fraternal Order of Police is standing with the officer who legally acted as a police officer and did the best he could that night. It’s a shame the equipment and manpower were not there when he needed it. But yet the city has made sure there’s plenty of Tasers now, and they have hired more people.” Graham said he blamed some politicians for using this case “to really kick around the Chicago Police Department.” “The men and women of the Chicago Police Department are some of finest police officers in this country,” he said. “They take seriously what they do and they try to provide the best protection they can for the citizens of Chicago and they do it putting their own lives in peril every single day and night.” 3:47 p.m.: Jury viewed shooting video ‘many, many, many times’ during deliberations One juror, a white woman who served as the foreperson, said the decision to convict on second-degree murder rather than first-degree murder came down to the consideration of what was going through Van Dyke’s mind at the time of the shooting. “We considered the mitigating factor of how he perceived his actions of the event, the escalating risk and why he took that action,” she said. “We felt that taking that action was unreasonable, but we took into account what he thought.” She said the jury watched the video “many, many, many times” in the jury room and the part that stuck out was how Van Dyke “stepped forward instead of retreating” before opening fire. “I think we all pretty much thought he could have avoided it if he had retreated,” she said. She said when they first started deliberating they took a straw poll “just to see where we all were.” The first vote was seven guilty, two not guilty and three undecided, she said. “So we had a baseline for discussion and then we went on from there,” she said. READ MORE: How the paths of Laquan McDonald and Jason Van Dyke crossed that fateful night 3:42 p.m.: Jury never wavered on Van Dyke’s guilt Jurors in the Jason Van Dyke case thought the Chicago police officer was guilty when they entered deliberations, but they were initially split over whether to convict him on first- or second-degree murder. In the end, they settled on second-degree murder, finding that Van Dyke was frightened when he fired his gun but his fear was unreasonable. An officer with Van Dyke’s experience should have known better, they said. “He should have thought more about the situation,” said one female juror, the lone African-American on the panel. Describing their service as a privilege, jurors said they made no final decisions on Thursday, but they were able to reach a unanimous consensus Friday morning. “We thought he should have looked at other options,” one male juror said. The jurors said they were unimpressed with Van Dyke’s testimony, believing his memory lapses were convenient. “He seemed rehearsed,” the male juror said. READ MORE: Some Chicago workers sent home, games postponed in anticipation of Van Dyke verdict 3:40 p.m. South Siders react, Loop calm before demonstrators start marching A corner in the South Shore neighborhood erupted in celebration following the verdict. Two dozen members of the Revolutionary Communist Party led a vociferous demonstration at 71st and South Jeffery Boulevard, repeatedly chanting “Van Dyke? Guilty! CPD? Guilty! System? Guilty!” Cars driving past the group on Jeffery leaned on their horns in celebration, while drivers and passengers raised clutched fists out open windows to show their support.Noting Van Dyke’s conviction for second-degree murder charge, one of the demonstrators yelled into a megaphone, “This is a victory, if only a partial victory.” Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune People rally at 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard after the jury's guilty verdict was delivered on Oct. 5, 2018, in Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke's trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. People rally at 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard after the jury's guilty verdict was delivered on Oct. 5, 2018, in Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke's trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) It should have been first-degree murder!” he said. “The only mitigating factor I can think of is that Jason Van Dyke was born into 250 years of white supremacy.” Ricky Kelsey, a South Shore resident, said he watched live coverage of the verdict at home while talking to a friend on the phone. He said he felt confident about the outcome. “With the verdict coming back so quickly, I kind of had a sense of what was going on,” said Kelsey, 60, referring to the less than eight hours of jury deliberations. “I felt there was no way there could have been any other result. (The police) need to learn it doesn’t take that much to disarm someone. You don’t need to shoot to kill someone.” Still, noting other cases of police officers being acquitted for on-duty fatal shootings, Kelsey said he had some nerves. “They’ve been walking away since the beginning,” Kelsey said. “Kill a black kid and go home and get in the bed. “I was relieved. I was glad it was over. They were trying to hide from the beginning so I’m just so glad it got out in the open.” -- Dawn Rhodes READ MORE: CTA, Metra trains packed as Van Dyke verdict empties Loop Before demonstrators began marching, it was relatively quiet in the Loop Friday afternoon. Many had left work early, filing fast toward the Jackson Red and Blue line stop. A few expressed fear unrest might follow any not guilty verdict. Curtis Bach, a clerk at the Loop station post office, had not been following the news. Though many around him had their eyes fixed to their phone screens, watching and listening to streams from the courtroom, the 80-year-old had only a late lunch on his mind. “I kinda thought it would go either way,” said Bach, who has worked for the Postal Service for more than five decades. “But I was hoping he’d be found guilty – he shot that poor boy so many times.” Sitting on a damp bench just outside the post office building, Bach reflected on the rumors that bedlam would reign in the Loop. “The last time that happened was in 1968,” he said, recalling the uprisings that characterized that year’s Democratic National Convention. He was young then, two years into work as a mail carrier.But then, as Friday, tensions cooled. “I think Chicago will be okay,” he said. “It always is.” -- Ese Olumhense Back to top 3:37 p.m.: ‘Sad day for law enforcement,’ Van Dyke’s lawyer says

Daniel Herbert, Van Dyke’s lead attorney, said he wasn’t surprised by the verdict and vowed an appeal on the judge’s refusal to move the trial outside Cook County because of the extensive pretrial publicity. “In this climate and with this case, I told Jason Van Dyke you just went into a heavyweight boxing match with Mike Tyson and you went in there with both hands tied behind your back and you’re still standing,” Herbert told reporters. “… We don’t believe the evidence supported the conviction.” “It really is a sad day for law enforcement,” Herbert continued. “We’ve all heard about the Ferguson effect. I can only imagine if police officers think they can never fire against someone who is acting the way Laquan McDonald had when they’re 12 feet away from him, what we are going to have is police officers are going to become security guards. They are not going to want to go out and confront someone.” John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune People and police officers react outside of City Hall as the jury's guilty verdict was delivered Oct. 5, 2018, in the Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. People and police officers react outside of City Hall as the jury's guilty verdict was delivered Oct. 5, 2018, in the Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Herbert said the verdict actually brought some sense of relief for Van Dyke. “It was an emotional moment for him and his family,” he said. “All I can say (is) that man is the toughest man I have ever met in my life. For him to go through what he’s gone through. I’ve told him throughout this case that I am so proud of him. …Anyone else in that situation would have crumbled.” 3:32 Demonstrators march around City Hall and County Building, then start marching in Loop Immediately after verdict was handed down, Frank Chapman, a seasoned veteran with Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, took to a red-and-gray bullhorn. “Is the great day for the movement but this is not the last day,” Chapman said. “It’s the beginning, the beginning of changes that we’ve been needing in the city for a very long time … The mayor of the city sat on this tape for 400 days. Jason Van Dyke was free on (Laquan’s) murder for 400 days and the FOP supporter him. Fourth-seven members of the city council voted for hush money for the McDonald family and they saw the video so they knew about the under. “So the whole city administration is guilty and in the people’s court we’re going to put them on trial.” Protesters circled City Hall and the County Building, shouting, “All lives won’t matter ‘til black lives matter.” Organizers leading the march held a banner with Van Dyke’s booking photo and “Convict Van Dyke” in bold black lettering. After a short time of walking south on a sidewalk, protesters sprinted west into Madison Street at a crosswalk. Protesters took turns leading the demonstration with the tri-colored black nationalist flag. “We did it!” a woman screamed into a microphone. -- Tony Briscoe 3:25 p.m. ‘I didn’t want to miss this historic moment.’ As the crowd outside the courthouse began to dissipate, South Side resident Rene Shepherd stood with her back turned to a group of police officers, carrying a sign emblazoned with a photo of Van Dyke and the words "16 SHOTS. JASON VAN DYKE IS GUILTY" "I didn't want to miss this historic moment. It's important for our community," she said. Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune Jerry Coleman, center, of Chicago celebrates outside the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago after guilty verdicts were announced in the murder trial of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke Oct. 5, 2018. Jerry Coleman, center, of Chicago celebrates outside the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago after guilty verdicts were announced in the murder trial of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke Oct. 5, 2018. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) "It was just so unnecessary to shoot someone's child like that. This was a minor. And this officer just went overboard. We hope that this verdict sends a message to the other police departments throughout the United States that we should be treated fairly, and hopefully police officers shouldn't be so quick to pull the trigger. We want them to negotiate with us and treat us like they would their own families in the same situations." -- Juan Perez Jr. Back to top 3:05 p.m. At scene of McDonald’s shooting, outside courthouse & City Hall, city reacts The historic verdict drew little notice at 41st Street and Pulaski Road, where Officer Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald nearly four years ago. Two police squad cars parked along Pulaski, across from a Dunkin’ Donuts. Another in the parking lot of a Burger King, bracing for demonstrations that did not materialize. Two women, who declined to give their names, stopped by the nearby strip mall to do some quick shopping at Ross. But they stopped in the parking lot and waited inside their black sedan to listen to to the verdict live on the radio. “They got him. Second degree,” one woman said as she got out of her car. “And all 16 shots,” referring to the convictions on each aggravated battery charge. Asked how she felt about the conviction, she was ambivalent because she thought first-degree murder was more appropriate. “It’s okay, though. We’re all right,” she said. -- Dawn Rhodes John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune People gather outside of City Hall as the jury's guilty verdict was delivered Oct. 5, 2018, in the Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. People gather outside of City Hall as the jury's guilty verdict was delivered Oct. 5, 2018, in the Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) "It feels like a victory for black Chicago," activist Jedidiah Brown said to reporters at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse minutes after the verdicts were read. "Anita Alvarez is gone. Garry McCarthy is gone. Rahm Emanuel is gone." "Go to City Hall," Brown declared. "We're going to the fifth floor!" "This is the best moment as a Chicagoan that I've ever experienced in my life. This is my best experience as a black man, as a Chicagoan, as an Illinoisan, and as a man in the United States of America. We never get justice,” Brown said. “Today we got justice ... Today, it looks like a new day in America." A small group of demonstrators then swelled around the front steps of the courthouse."Van Dyke: Guilty. CPD: Guilty of conspiracy," the crowd bellowed, while more than two dozen officers watched in silence. -- Juan Perez Jr. READ MORE: Laquan McDonald timeline: The shooting, the video and the verdict More than two dozen protesters formed a tight circle outside the LaSalle Street entrance to City Hall with their heads leaning in to listen to a live stream of the verdict on someone’s phone. The silence was striking as people in the group winced and squirmed in anticipation of the decision. Some covered their mouths and others braced anxiously with their hands resting on their head. A whisper rose among the hushed group, “I’m scared. I’m scared for my city, y’all.” After several minutes, the crowd rejoiced in enthusiastic cheers after the first conviction was delivered. Others like Kenna Carson, a Bronzeville resident and organizer, broke into tears and doubled over with emotion. “It just felt like all those years of work from the time the video came out was worth it,” Carson said. “Like all the organizing and being out in the streets it was worth it. It was worth it —for once. “I really explain how the feeling Love being a part of the organizing for Laquan and all the other names. We haven’t gotten justice for them yet, but this is a landmark moment.”

-- Tony Briscoe 2:54 p.m. Mayor, police superintendent & FOP president react Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson released a joint statement following the verdict: “For the past several weeks, a jury heard testimony, weighed evidence and considered the facts of the Van Dyke case. Today, the jury reached its verdict. As we absorb their decision, let us continue to hear each other and partner with each other – as public servants, police and members of the public – and let us ensure our collective mission is what endures for generations to come. “We come from many neighborhoods, many walks of life and many places throughout the world. But for all of us, this is our home. This is the city we love. We have heard that message countless times in recent days and weeks in church basements, in community meetings and from residents in our neighborhoods. And while the jury has heard the case and reached their conclusion, our collective work is not done. The effort to drive lasting reform and rebuild bonds of trust between residents and police must carry on with vigor.” At the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham called the jury’s verdict “unfortunate.” He argued the judge should have granted the defense’s change of venue request. “There will be an appeal,” he said. “Mark my words, there will be an appeal. We do think Jason has a tough road to go but he is not standing alone.” The Twitter world has also reacted swiftly to the verdict. READ MORE: How Twitter is reacting to the Jason Van Dyke verdict 2:41 p.m.: Activists laud Van Dyke’s ‘historic’ conviction Community activists lauded the second-degree murder conviction as a measure of justice even though some had hoped the officer would be found guilty of the first-degree charges. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was not in court for the verdict, but his senior adviser, Janette Wilson, called it a just verdict. “This is historic for Chicago and historic for these kinds of police misconduct cases,” Wilson said. “The jury did what it could with the evidence that was presented to them. Jason Van Dyke is finally in custody and we are grateful. We don’t need Rambo cops on the street shooting kids.” Ja’Mal Green, a mayoral candidate, called for an investigation into whether City Hall was part of an alleged cover-up to stall the release of the police dashboard camera video of the shooting for more than a year. He and other activists speaking to reporters immediately after the verdict said they wanted a first-degree murder verdict but still felt the jury verdict brought McDonald and the city a measure of justice. “What this says to officers around the country is you can no longer be the judge, jury and executioner,” Green said. Back to top 2:20 p.m. Police in Loop watch verdict At Clark Street and Jackson Boulevard, the Kluczynski Federal Building and Dirksen Federal Courthouse looming in the backdrop, a small group of Chicago police officers clustered to watch the verdict on their phones. As the jury foreman read the verdict, the group fell quiet. Around them, cars and buses roared by, as some commuters appeared eager to leave the Loop. Minutes later, and with Van Dyke now convicted of second-degree murder, the compact crowd dispersed. Some entered vans. One officer stood by, stoic. All were silent. 2:15 p.m.: Van Dyke faces a minimum of 6 years in prison Van Dyke appeared emotional and fatigued, but his solemn expression did not break as the verdict was read. His wife, Tiffany, seated in the courtroom gallery, wept. The slain teen’s great-uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, seated on the other side of the courtroom, also cried. Spectators remained silent, though some could be seen praying. The judge had admonished those in attendance if there was any outburst they would face arrest. Deputies lined each corner of the packed courtroom. Judge Gaughan ordered Van Dyke’s bail revoked at the prosecution’s request. Van Dyke's lead attorney Daniel Herbert had argued that Van Dyke should not be taken immediately into custody, a request the judge rejected. “He now stands before this court a convicted felon,” said Special Prosecutor Joseph McMahon, noting the officer faced a minimum of six years in prison. As Van Dyke stood to be escorted out of the courtroom, Herbert clapped him on the shoulder in a gesture of support. Van Dyke was led out of court with his hands behind his back, with sheriff's deputies in front of him and behind him. Herbert flashed him a thumbs-up. READ MORE: Officer Van Dyke speaks out for the first time since shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times 2:05 p.m. Demonstrators erupt in cheers after verdict read “Thank you, Jesus!” one woman shouted as demonstrators outside the Leighton Criminal Courthouse huddled around cellphones and television cameras as the verdicts were read. Those gathered were riveted to the handheld screens. The crowd was mostly silent as they listened. A few passing cars on California Avenue honked their horns as news of the verdicts spread. When the verdicts were announced, demonstrators erupted in cheers and began to march on the courthouse grounds, chanting, “Justice for Laquan. Justice for Laquan.” Earlier, police officers with bicycles formed a line on the sidewalk along the east side of South California Boulevard, to the east of the criminal courthouse.Demonstrators gathered near the steps of the courthouse chanted “Justice! Justice! Justice!” About two dozen protesters holding signs and chanting were present as they prepared for the verdict. Another group of police officers staged at the courthouse entrance, where reporters and television camera operators also assembled. One police officer, staged on the top level of the parking garage across the street, kept a watchful eye on the activities with a pair of binoculars. 2:04 p.m.: Van Dyke taken into custody Judge Gaughan ordered Van Dyke taken into custody after his conviction for second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery. Sheriff's deputies escorted Van Dyke from the courtroom. 2:02 p.m.: Van Dyke acquitted of lone count of official misconduct The jury acquitted Van Dyke of only one count -- official misconduct.</s>CHICAGO -A jury has convicted white Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke of second-degree murder in the 2014 shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald.

Van Dyke was charged with first degree-murder in the October 2014 killing, a charge that requires a finding that the shooting was unnecessary and unreasonable. The judge told jurors the second-degree charge was also available, requiring them to find Van Dyke believed his life was in danger but that the belief was unreasonable.

The jury announced the verdict Friday. It’s the first time in half a century that a Chicago police officer has been convicted of murder for an on-duty death.

McDonald was carrying a knife when Van Dyke fired 16 shots into the 17-year-old as he walked away from police.

Second-degree murder usually carries a sentence of less than 20 years.</s>Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke (C) arrives at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building where he is standing trial for the homicide of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald on September 5, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.

CHICAGO – A jury on Friday found Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke Guilty of second-degree murder in the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The October 2014 shooting was one in a series of deadly confrontations between law enforcement and black men and women that spurred a national conversation on policing, and an incident that fractured the already tattered trust of police in the African-American community of the nation’s third-largest city.

Van Dyke stared ahead with a forlorn expression on his face as the verdict was read.

He was found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery – one for each shot he fired at McDonald. He was found not guilty of official misconduct. His bond was revoked and he was taken into custody.

A sentencing date was not set. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of from four to 20 years. Aggravated battery carries a sentence of from six to 30 years.

Van Dyke had been charged with first-degree murder. Cook Count Circuit Judge Vincent Gaughan told jurors this week they could consider a second-degree murder charge.

The shooting on the southwest side of Chicago was captured on police dashcam video – graphic footage that appeared to show McDonald turning away from police when Van Dyke opened fire.

Police were called to the scene on reports of a person breaking into vehicles on a truck lot. They found McDonald wielding a knife with a three-inch blade.

The troubled teen ignored repeated calls from police to drop the knife. He popped the tire of a police vehicle and scratched a windshield.

Van Dyke arrived on the scene, got out of his vehicle and fired 16 shots at McDonald. He continued to shoot at McDonald for 12.5 seconds after he was already on the ground.

Van Dyke told investigators that McDonald raised the knife in a menacing manner before he fired, and that he backpedaled as the teen approached. The police video did not support the officer’s account.

"None of that happened!” prosecutor Jody Gleason told jurors. “You’ve seen the videos. He made it up to justify his use of force."

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More: 'Unnecessary' killing or lawful response? Opening statements in murder trial of Chicago police officer

Van Dyke's lawyers stressed that McDonald had a long history of violent behavior and drug use and was behaving erratically in the moments and hours before the shooting. The teen suffered from mental illness.

A pharmacologist who testified on behalf of the defense said the PCP in McDonald’s system and the absence of psychotropic drugs the teen was prescribed were a volatile combination. Juvenile detention center officers recalled violent and profane outbursts from the teen while he was in custody. Officer Leticia Velez, who was present at the scene, testified that McDonald looked “deranged.”

Daniel Herbert, Van Dyke’s lead defense attorney, told the jury the shooting was a "tragedy but not a murder."

"Laquan McDonald was the author, choreographer of this story,” Herbert said.

Police encountered McDonald after receiving calls that a young man fitting the teen’s description had been breaking into vehicles and stealing radios from a truck lot on the city’s southwest side.

The trucker who initially confronted McDonald, Rudy Barillas, testified that McDonald attacked him. But Barillas also said that he was able to fend off the teen by throwing his mobile phone and pebbles at the teen.

Prosecutors noted that there were at least 10 other officers at the scene, but Van Dyke was the only one to shoot. They used testimony from Laurence Miller, a forensic psychologist who evaluated Van Dyke in 2016 at the behest of the defense team, to bolster their case that the officer acted with malice.

Van Dyke and his partner had just stopped for coffee at a nearby 7-Eleven when they heard radio calls and sped toward the scene.

As Van Dyke and partner Joe Walsh drove toward McDonald, Miller said, Van Dyke asked Walsh why the officers on the scene hadn't shot McDonald since he attacked.

During the psychological evaluation, Miller said, Van Dyke recalled remarking to Walsh: “Oh my God, we’re going to have to shoot the guy.”

The initial resistance of local leaders to release the video fueled allegations by activists that Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the police department were trying to cover up wrongdoing.

A court eventually ordered the city to release the footage, 400 days after the shooting. On the day of its release, Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder.

The county prosecutor, Anita Alvarez, accused by activists of taking too long to charge the officer, was voted out of office. And local and federal authorities launched investigations of the police department.

Emanuel saw his standing in the city's sizable African-American community plummet. He fired his police superintendent, and announced last month that he wouldn’t seek a third term in office.

He insists the Van Dyke trial did not impact his decision.

The police department’s relationship in the African-American community had been strained by a long history of police brutality and allegations of heavy-handed tactics in the city’s low-income and minority communities.

The city borrowed some $709 million to pay settlements in police misconduct cases from 2010 to 2017, according to the Action Center on Race & the Economy.

A U.S. Department of Justice review last year found Chicago officers used force nearly 10 times more often in incidents involving black suspects than against white suspects.

Antonio Romanucci, a Chicago attorney who has alleged misconduct by the Chicago Police Department in several civil lawsuits, said the prosecution's case centered on making clear to the jury that Van Dyke intended to draw his gun and shoot McDonald as he pulled up to the scene in his squad car.

"That was an essential element the prosecution needed to prove, and was able to do so," Romanucci said.

Some critics and activists say the justice system is too lenient with police.

An officer in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, was acquitted of manslaughter and dangerous discharge of a firearm last year in the 2016 shooting death of Philando Castille.

Castille was gunned down during a traffic stop as his girlfriend and her 4-year-old-daughter sat in the car.

Violent protests erupted in St. Louis last year after a former police officer was acquitted in the 2011 shooting of black motorist Anthony Lamar Smith.

Former Officer Jason Stockley said he believed Smith was reaching for a gun in his car. Prosecutors accused the officer of planting a silver revolver to justify the shooting.

Three Baltimore police officers were acquitted in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in police custody, and Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped charges against three other officers involved in the incident.

Ahead of the verdict, Mayor Rahm Emanuel called on residents to respond peacefully. The police department canceled officers’ days off and stretched workdays to 12 hours to ensure they would have enough manpower in case things went south.

“I have absolute confidence in the residents of the City of Chicago,” Emanuel said. “This is our city, and this our home. And I hope everyone heeds the advice of Laquan McDonald’s family, the pastors, the community leaders to make their message heard in what they have to say and do it in a way that’s respectful to the city that we all call home.”

Some activists expressed concern that an acquittal or hung would demoralize the black community.

“If this case can’t lead to a conviction, I just don’t know how you can encourage people to have trust in the criminal justice system,” said the Rev. Marshall Hatch, a pastor on the city West Side and a critic of the police department.

Frank Chapman, an activist with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, cautioned an acquittal of Van Dyke might spur unrest. His group was part of a coalition that planned demonstration in the aftermath of the verdict.

"If you don't want things to burn, if you don't want people to be raising hell, then do the right thing," he said. “Don’t ask us to police for you. Do the right thing. Quit killing people. Quit mistreating people and then these things will not happen.”

Two other officers and a detective involved in the McDonald shooting face state charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and misconduct.

Officers Joseph Walsh and Thomas Gaffney are accused of lying to investigators and mischaracterizing the video recordings in hopes that independent investigators wouldn’t learn what happened and the public would not see the footage, according to an indictment.

Detective David March signed off on statements that several officers at the scene gave following the shooting and indicated in his report there were no discrepancies between what the officers said happened and what could be seen in the police dashcam video.

The three are scheduled to go to trial in November.</s>CHICAGO (AP) — A jury is deciding whether white Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke committed murder and other crimes when he shot Laquan McDonald 16 times as he walked away from officers while carrying…

CHICAGO (AP) — A jury is deciding whether white Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke committed murder and other crimes when he shot Laquan McDonald 16 times as he walked away from officers while carrying a knife on Oct. 20, 2014. They began deliberations Thursday after sitting through three weeks of evidence in the most closely watched trial of a Chicago police officer in decades.

A look at the charges and potential outcomes:

By far the most serious charge the 40-year-old faces is first-degree murder. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

But, in a move not uncommon at Illinois murder trials, Judge Vincent Gaughan told jurors that they can consider the lesser charge of second-degree murder.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Van Dyke could face 15 years or more in prison. Probation isn’t an option for a first-degree murder conviction, but it is with second-degree.

Gaughan explained that jurors can’t begin considering second-degree murder until after they decide whether Van Dyke is guilty of first-degree murder. That requires a finding that Van Dyke’s use of deadly force wasn’t justified — that it was both unnecessary and unreasonable.

If they find Van Dyke knew that shooting McDonald wasn’t justified and shot him anyway, the first-degree murder conviction would stand. But if they find Van Dyke truly believed the shooting was justified because his life was in jeopardy but that that belief wasn’t reasonable, they can find him guilty of second-degree murder.

Van Dyke is also charged with 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. Each count corresponds to each bullet Van Dyke shot into McDonald. Each count carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence.

Van Dyke also faces one count of official misconduct accusing him of improperly using his official position as an officer and his department-issued gun to shoot McDonald. It carries a prison term of up to five years.

To convict, jurors must find Van Dyke used force without justification.

Jurors could come back with a clear, unambiguous verdict: guilty or not guilty on all counts. A messier outcome would be convictions on some counts and acquittals on others.

Conviction or acquittal on any charge requires all 12 jurors to agree. Deadlocked juries sometimes seek compromise. Some Van Dyke jurors may not feel evidence supports a murder conviction. One possible compromise would be to acquit him of murder and convict him on everything else.

Another conceivable outcome is a hung jury on all or some of the counts. A hung jury would mean prosecutors would have to decide whether to retry Van Dyke on any deadlocked counts. If just one juror holds out for acquittals, that could encourage prosecutors to try again. But if just one juror wants to convict — or even if jurors are evenly split — prosecutors might be dissuaded from a retrial.

Federal authorities could step in if there’s a hung jury. There’s no federal murder charge. But Van Dyke could be charged with violating McDonald’s rights by killing him unjustifiably.

For the AP’s complete coverage of the case: https://apnews.com/tag/LaquanMcDonald

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>CHICAGO, Ill. — A jury found Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer charged with murdering Laquan McDonald, guilty of second-degree murder Friday afternoon.

He was also found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and not guilty of official misconduct. Van Dyke was immediately taken into custody and had his bail revoked.

The verdict was read around 1:50 p.m. Friday.

Van Dyke, 40, was charged with first-degree murder, official misconduct and aggravated battery in the Oct. 20, 2014, slaying of 17-year-old McDonald, who was shot 16 times. Jurors were told Thursday they had the option of convicting Van Dyke of second-degree murder, which is probationable.

Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer in decades to be charged with murder for an on-duty incident.

Before Judge Vincent Gaughan dismissed them for the day Thursday evening, jurors requested a transcript of testimony from former Officer Joseph Walsh, Van Dyke’s partner the night of McDonald’s death.

In closing arguments, a prosecutor claimed Van Dyke showed no regard for the life of the black teenager while the defense portrayed him as a police veteran ensnared in a tragedy but not a murder.

Assistant special prosecutor Jody Gleason told the jury that Van Dyke contemplated shooting McDonald before he even encountered the young man on the street

“You heard what it was that he said, ‘I guess we’ll have to shoot him,'” Gleason said, referring to testimony about what Van Dyke told his partner before arriving at the scene.

“It wasn’t the knife in Laquan’s hand that made the defendant kill him that night. It was his indifference to the value of Laquan’s life.”

When Van Dyke took the stand Tuesday, Gleason asked about a statement he made to his partner as they approached the shooting scene:”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 Thursday, “We know the defendant contemplated the decision to shoot Laquan before he even got out of his vehicle. … And he never adjusted that mindset.”

Defense attorney Daniel Herbert, in his closing, sought to discount a piece of evidence at the center of the case: video of the shooting.

“We have to look at this from Jason Van Dyke’s perspective,” he said.

He added, “The state wants to watch the last two minutes of this movie without knowing the context.”

Herbert said there was no question the case is tragic but it did not amount to murder.

“It’s a tragedy that could have been prevented with one simple step,” he said. “At any step during that 20-minute rampage — if Laquan McDonald had dropped that knife — he would have been here today.”

Van Dyke told the jury Tuesday that McDonald’s face was expressionless — “his eyes were just bugging out of his head” — as the teenager kept “advancing” on him, holding a knife.

Standing about 10 to 15 feet away, McDonald “turned his torso towards me,” the officer testified.

“He waved the knife from his lower right side, upwards, across his body, towards my left shoulder,” the officer said, appearing to get choked up as he demonstrated the action to jurors.

The officer told jurors he then shot McDonald.

CNN contributed to this report; this is a developing story.</s>CHICAGO – A jury on Friday convicted white Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke of second-degree murder in the 2014 shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald.

Van Dyke was charged with first degree-murder in the October 2014 killing, a charge that requires a finding that the shooting was unnecessary and unreasonable. The judge told jurors the second-degree charge was also available, requiring them to find Van Dyke believed his life was in danger but that the belief was unreasonable.

Jurors also convicted him of aggravated battery, but acquitted him of official misconduct. It’s the first time in half a century that a Chicago police officer has been convicted of murder for an on-duty death.

McDonald was carrying a knife when Van Dyke fired 16 shots into the 17-year-old as he walked away from police.

Second-degree murder usually carries a sentence of less than 20 years.

By far the most serious charge Van Dyke, 40, faced was first-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

But, in a move not uncommon at Illinois murder trials, Judge Vincent Gaughan told jurors before they began deliberating that they could consider the charge of second-degree murder. Second-degree murder typically carries a sentence of less than 20 years, especially for someone with no criminal history. Probation isn’t an option for a first-degree murder conviction, but it is with second-degree murder.

First-degree murder requires a finding that the accused knew the killing wasn’t justified but did it anyway. For a second-degree murder conviction, the jury must agree that the accused truly believed the killing was justified but that the belief wasn’t reasonable.

Van Dyke was the first Chicago police officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in more than 50 years. That case, which also involved an officer shooting someone with a knife, ended in conviction in 1970.

The verdict is the latest chapter in a story that has made headlines since a judge ordered the release of squad car video of the shooting in November 2015. The case also put the city at the center of the national conversation about police misconduct and excessive force.

The 12-person jury included just one African-American member, although blacks make up one-third of Chicago’s population. The jury also had seven whites, three Hispanics and one Asian-American.

Officers had McDonald largely surrounded on a city street and were waiting for someone to arrive with a stun gun to use on the teenager when Van Dyke arrived, according to testimony and video. The video, played repeatedly at trial, shows Van Dyke opening firing. McDonald spins, then crumples to the ground. Van Dyke continues to shoot when the 17-year-old is lying in the street. At times, smoke can be coming from his body, and one officer who was there that night testified that the smoke was actually gunfire hitting the teen.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys argued over what the video actually proved.

Prosecutor Jody Gleason noted during closing arguments that Van Dyke told detectives that McDonald raised the knife, that Van Dyke backpedaled, and that McDonald tried to get up off the ground after being shot.

“None of that happened,” she said. “You’ve seen it on video. He made it up.”

But Van Dyke and his attorneys maintained that the video didn’t tell the whole story.

His attorneys had portrayed Van Dyke as being “scared’ by the young man who he knew had already punctured a tire of a squad car with the knife. Van Dyke testified that the teen was advancing on him, ignoring his shouted orders to drop the knife. Van Dyke conceded that did actually step toward McDonald and not away from the teen, as Van Dyke had initially claimed. But the officer maintained the rest of his account, saying: “The video doesn’t show my perspective.”

Van Dyke had been on the force for 13 years when the shooting happened. According to a database that includes reports from 2002 to 2008 and 2011 until 2015, he was the subject of at least 20 citizen complaints – eight of which alleged excessive force. Though he was never disciplined, a jury did once award $350,000 to a man who filed an excessive force lawsuit against him. Van Dyke testified that McDonald was the first person he ever shot.

To boost their contention that McDonald was dangerous, defense attorneys built a case against the teenager, who had been a ward of the state for most of his life and wound up in juvenile detention after an arrest for marijuana possession in January 2014. Among those testifying were several current or former employees at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center who said they had violent run-ins with McDonald. They also pointed to an autopsy that showed McDonald had the hallucinogenic drug PCP in his system.

Prosecutors stressed that Van Dyke was the only officer to ever fire a shot at McDonald.

They called multiple officers who were there that night as they sought to chip away at the “blue wall of silence” long associated with the city’s police force and other law enforcement agencies across the country. Three officers, including Van Dyke’s partner that night, Joseph Walsh, have been charged with trying conspiring to cover up and lie about what happened to protect Van Dyke. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Even before the trial, the case had already had an impact on law enforcement in Chicago. The city’s police superintendent and the county’s top prosecutor both lost their jobs – one fired by the mayor and the other ousted by voters. It also led to a U.S. Justice Department investigation that found a “pervasive cover-up culture” and prompted plans for far-reaching police reforms.

A week before jury selection, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not seek a third term, although his office insisted the case had nothing to do with his decision. He had faced criticism that he fought the release of the video until after his re-election in April 2015

Ahead of the verdict, the city had prepared for the possibility of the kind of massive protests that followed the release of the video in November 2015, with an extra 4,000 officers being put on the streets.

The issue of race permeated the case, though it was rarely raised at trial. One of the only instances was during opening statements, when special prosecutor Joseph McMahon told the jurors that Van Dyke didn’t know anything about McDonald’s past when he encountered him that night.

“What we do know, what he (Van Dyke) did see, was a black boy walking down the street… having audacity to ignore the police,” McMahon said.

Van Dyke’s lead attorney Dan Herbert countered: “Race had absolutely nothing to do with this.”</s>Jason Van Dyke, a white Chicago police officer who killed a black 17-year-old, Laquan McDonald, was found guilty Friday of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery. Van Dyke was found not guilty of official misconduct.Van Dyke appeared emotionless as the verdict was read and he was remanded into custody.The verdict is the latest chapter in a story that has led to the police superintendent and the county's top prosecutor both losing their jobs - one fired by the mayor and the other ousted by voters. It also led to a U.S. Justice Department investigation that found a "pervasive cover-up culture" and prompted plans for far-reaching police reforms. Three officers have been accused of conspiring to cover up what happened that night to protect Van Dyke.Van Dyke, 40, was the first Chicago officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in more than 50 years.Outside Chicago City Hall, dozens of demonstrators gathered and cheers erupted Friday afternoon. Marchers took to the streets of downtown Chicago in celebration of the verdict, closing streets. Thousands of Loop workers were told to leave their offices following the announcement that a verdict would be read, packing trains out of downtown during midday."We're not done!" and "This is just the beginning!" Frank Chapman told the crowd with a megaphone.The group continued to rip the mayor and city politicians, who they say purposely withheld the Laquan McDonald dashcam video released in November of 2015, the same day Van Dyke was charged and more than a year after the teen was killed.Another protester warned politicians, "we are going to take your seats," referencing a "black wave" coming.Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder, 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm - one for each shot - and official police misconduct in the October 2014 shooting.First-degree murder carries a sentence of 20 years to life. The jury was able to consider second-degree murder, a sentence which varies widely from probation up to 20 years. Second-degree murder is considered to be a first-degree murder with a mitigating factor, the judge explained before the foreman read the jury's verdict.First-degree murder requires a finding that the shooting was unnecessary and unreasonable. The judge told jurors the second-degree charge required them to find Van Dyke believed his life was in danger, but that the belief was unreasonable.Aggravated battery with a firearm carries a sentence of six to 30 years per charge."We considered the mitigating factor of how he perceived his actions, of the imminent and the escalating risk, and why he took that action. But we did decide that taking the action was unreasonable. But we did consider what he thought when he was taking that action," one juror said.Police encountered McDonald on Oct. 20, 2014, after a 911 call reported someone breaking into vehicles. As Van Dyke arrived, police had the 17-year-old mostly surrounded on a city street. An officer with a Taser was just 25 seconds away.Van Dyke claimed he opened fire on the teen, who was holding a small knife, because he feared for his life and continued to fire after McDonald was on the ground because he believed he was still a threat.Prosecutors have argued that each shot was a crime and robbed McDonald of the chance of survival.Prosecutor Jody Gleason seized on the testimony of one the defense's own witnesses, a psychologist who interviewed Van Dyke.Dr. Laurence Miller said that when Van Dyke heard on his radio that McDonald had a knife and had punctured the tire of a squad car, he told his partner: "Oh my God, we're going to have to shoot the guy."Gleason said Van Dyke had made up his mind about what he'd do before even arriving at the scene."Laquan McDonald was never going to walk home that night," she said.Gleason pointed to the dashcam video, which showed Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times as the teen held the knife at his side. She noted that Van Dyke told detectives that McDonald raised the knife, that Van Dyke backpedaled, and that McDonald tried to get up off the ground after being shot.Gleason told jurors that while police officers are allowed to use deadly force in some circumstances, this was not one of them."They do not have the right to use deadly force just because you will not bow to their authority," she said. "This is not the Wild West out here ... where an officer can shoot an individual ... and try to justify it later."Van Dyke's attorney, Dan Herbert, said the dashcam video, the centerpiece of the prosecutor's case, doesn't tell the whole story and is "essentially meaningless based on the testimony" jurors heard.He pointed to testimony from Van Dyke's partner that night, Joseph Walsh, who said he saw McDonald raise the knife, even though the video doesn't show that. Van Dyke made similar claims on the witness stand as he told jurors that he was afraid for his life and acted according to his training."The video is not enough," Herbert said. "It shows a perspective, but it's the wrong perspective."When asked which way they were leaning, one alternate said, "I would say guilty. He should have waited longer. I mean, he knew the Taser was coming. That's what did it for me.""Where was he actually causing an issue that, you know, Jason Van Dyke thought that he needed to use deadly force?" the other alternate juror said. "I just don't understand that."Among the reactions issued Friday following the verdict, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Supt. Eddie Johnson released a joint statement saying:Before the verdict, the judge asked everyone in the courtroom to maintain composure, and asked those who felt they couldn't react reasonably, to leave. A woman in the Laquan McDonald family group got up and left the room prior to the reading.On Friday morning, the jury sent the court a note asking on the aggravated battery charges whether to consider the order of the shots or just the total number of shots.During the trial, the medical examiner testified that she could not determine the order of shots in the autopsy findings, but showed the jury each bullet wound from head to toe, and what effect it had on Laquan McDonald as he died.The judge instructed jurors to only consider the simple number of shots fired.The jury, which deliberated for about seven hours total on Thursday and Friday, was comprised of eight men and four women. Seven are white, three are Hispanic, one is Asian-American and one is African-American.One of the last images prosecutors showed jurors was an autopsy photo of McDonald's body. Gleason noted bullet entry and exit holes."Laquan's body was riddled, broken and bleeding," Gleason said. "He even had bullet fragments in his teeth."Herbert argued that McDonald was to blame for what happened that night, saying "the tragedy ... could have been prevented by one simple step."Herbert then dramatically took the knife that was entered into evidence earlier and dropped it on the floor in front of the jury box.Herbert also reminded jurors that a prosecutor briefly mentioned the issue of race during opening statements but never broached the issue again."Did you see any evidence that race had anything to do with this case?" he said. "When you don't have evidence, you use argument."As jurors began deliberating, the Chicago Police Department canceled days off and put officers on 12-hour shifts. An extra 4,000 officers will be on the street, according to spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. The city saw protests after video of the shooting was released. Massive protests were expected around City Hall in Chicago's Loop after the verdict was read.</s>A white Chicago police officer was convicted of second-degree murder Friday in the 2014 shooting of a black teenager that was captured on shocking dashcam video that showed him crumpling to the ground in a hail of 16 bullets as he walked away from officers.

The video, some of the most graphic police footage to emerge in years, stoked outrage nationwide, and the high-stakes trial gripped the nation’s third-largest city for nearly three years. The shooting also led to a federal government inquiry and calls to reform the Chicago Police Department.

Jason Van Dyke, 40, was the first Chicago officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in about 50 years. He was taken into custody moments after the verdict was read.

The second-degree verdict reflects the jury’s finding that Van Dyke believed his life was in danger but that the belief was unreasonable. The jury also had the option of first degree-murder, a charge that required a finding that the shooting was unnecessary and unreasonable.

Second-degree murder usually carries a sentence of less than 20 years, especially for someone with no criminal history. Probation is also an option.

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Van Dyke was also convicted of aggravated battery and acquitted of official misconduct.

The teen, Laquan McDonald, was carrying a knife when Van Dyke fired at him on a dimly lit street where he was surrounded by other officers.

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The verdict was the latest chapter in a story that has made headlines since a judge ordered the release of the video in November 2015. The case put the city at the center of the national conversation about police misconduct and excessive force.

The 12-person jury included just one African-American member, although blacks make up one-third of Chicago’s population. The jury also had seven whites, three Hispanics and one Asian-American.

Officers were waiting for someone with a stun gun to use on the teenager when Van Dyke arrived, according to testimony and video. The video, played repeatedly at trial, showed Van Dyke shooting even after the 17-year-old was lying on the pavement.

READ MORE: Prosecutor named in murder case against Chicago officer who shot black teen 16 times

Prosecutors and defense attorneys argued over what the video actually proved.

Prosecutor Jody Gleason noted during closing arguments that Van Dyke told detectives that McDonald raised the knife, that Van Dyke backpedaled and that McDonald tried to get up off the ground after being shot.

“None of that happened,” she said. “You’ve seen it on video. He made it up.”

But Van Dyke and his attorneys maintained that the video didn’t tell the whole story.

READ MORE: Chicago police officer who shot teenager 16 times pleads not guilty to murder

His attorneys portrayed Van Dyke as being “scared’ by the young man who he knew had already punctured a tire of a squad car with the knife. Van Dyke testified that the teen was advancing on him and ignoring his shouted orders to drop the knife.

Van Dyke conceded that stepped toward McDonald and not away from the teen, as Van Dyke had initially claimed. But the officer maintained the rest of his account, saying: “The video doesn’t show my perspective.”

The officer had been on the force for 13 years when the shooting happened. According to a database that includes reports from 2002 to 2008 and 2011 until 2015, he was the subject of at least 20 citizen complaints — eight of which alleged excessive force. Though he was never disciplined, a jury did once award $350,000 to a man who filed an excessive-force lawsuit against him. Van Dyke testified that McDonald was the first person he ever shot.

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To boost their contention that McDonald was dangerous, defense attorneys built a case against the teenager, who had been a ward of the state for most of his life and wound up in juvenile detention after an arrest for marijuana possession in January 2014.

Among those testifying were several current or former employees at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center who said they had violent run-ins with McDonald. They also pointed to an autopsy that showed McDonald had the hallucinogenic drug PCP in his system.

Prosecutors stressed that Van Dyke was the only officer to ever fire a shot at McDonald.

READ MORE: Chicago mayor fires police chief in wake of Laquan McDonald shooting video

They called multiple officers who were there that night as they sought to chip away at the “blue wall of silence” long associated with the city’s police force and other law enforcement agencies across the country. Three officers, including Van Dyke’s partner that night, Joseph Walsh, have been charged with conspiring to cover up and lie about what happened to protect Van Dyke. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Even before the trial, the case affected law enforcement in Chicago. The city’s police superintendent and the county’s top prosecutor both lost their jobs — one fired by the mayor and the other ousted by voters. It also led to a Justice Department investigation that found a “pervasive cover-up culture” and prompted plans for far-reaching police reforms.

A week before jury selection, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not seek a third term, although his office insisted the case had nothing to do with his decision. He had faced criticism that he fought the release of the video until after his re-election in April 2015

Ahead of the verdict, the city prepared for the possibility of the kind of massive protests that followed the release of the video in November 2015, with an extra 4,000 officers being put on the streets.

The issue of race permeated the case, though it was rarely raised at trial. One of the only instances was during opening statements, when special prosecutor Joseph McMahon told the jurors that Van Dyke didn’t know anything about McDonald’s past when he encountered him that night.

“What we do know, what he (Van Dyke) did see, was a black boy walking down the street… having audacity to ignore the police,” McMahon said.

Van Dyke’s lead attorney Dan Herbert countered: “Race had absolutely nothing to do with this.”</s>CHICAGO – Prosecutors said Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke showed no regard for Laquan McDonald's life when he approached the black teen in October 2014.

Van Dyke's defense said the veteran cop had no choice but to fire a barrage of bullets at the troubled 17-year-old.

The sides made closing statements Thursday in the trial of Van Dyke, charged with first-degree murder in the controversial shooting death of McDonald. After two weeks of testimony in Cook County Circuit Court, the case now goes to a 12-member jury.

Chicago police, meanwhile, are bracing for protests.

Assistant Special Prosecutor Jody Gleason told jurors that Van Dyke showed "indifference to the value of Laquan's life" when he fired 16 bullets at the teen. She said Van Dyke's defense centered on "exaggerating the threat and hiding behind the police shield."

“He shot too early," Gleason said. "He shot too often. And he shot way too long.”

The shooting on a fall night on the southwest side of Chicago was captured on police dashcam video – chilling footage that strained already fraught police relations in the African-American community.

The initial resistance of local leaders to release the video fueled allegations by activists that Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the police department were trying to cover up wrongdoing.

A court eventually ordered the city to release the footage, 400 days after the shooting. It appears to show McDonald moving away from officers when Van Dyke opened fire.

Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder, 16 counts of aggravated battery and official misconduct. If convicted of first-degree murder, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

Judge Vincent Gaughan told jurors that they may also find the officer guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. That charge carries a sentence of four to 20 years.

The jurors, who are being sequestered overnight at an area hotel, deliberated for about five hours Thursday and will continue their discussions about the case Friday.

Van Dyke's lead defense attorney told jurors that the police video – the centerpiece of the prosecution's case – was "essentially meaningless" because it failed to show the officer's perspective.

"We have to look at this from Jason Van Dyke's perspective," attorney Daniel Herbert said. "Probable guilt is not enough. That video is not enough."

Van Dyke's defense team says he acted to preserve his and fellow officers’ lives but became a political scapegoat during a difficult period for policing in America.

The shooting is one of several deadly encounters between police and black men and women in recent years that together have spurred a broader national conversation about law enforcement tactics in predominantly African-American communities.

During the trial, Van Dyke's defense team attempted to underscore that McDonald had a long history of violent behavior and drug use and was behaving erratically in the moments and hours before the shooting. The teen suffered from mental illness and had PCP in his blood at the time of his death.

A pharmacologist testifying for the defense said the PCP and the absence of psychotropic drugs the teen was prescribed were a volatile combination. Juvenile detention center officers recalled violent and profane outbursts from the teen while he was in custody. Officer Leticia Velez testified that McDonald looked “deranged.”

Police encountered McDonald after receiving calls that a young man fitting his description had been breaking into vehicles and stealing radios from a truck lot on the city’s southwest side. They say he was found with a retractable knife with a 3-inch blade.

The trucker who initially confronted McDonald, Rudy Barillas, testified that McDonald attacked him. But he also said he was able to fend him off by throwing his mobile phone and pebbles at him.

More: Chicago cop on trial for Laquan McDonald killing testifies: 'His eyes were bugging out'

More: Chicago cop who shot Laquan McDonald opts for jury trial despite concerns about bias

Police say McDonald did not comply with repeated orders to drop the weapon and continued to wind his way through the city streets. At one point, he used the knife to scratch the windshield and pop the tire of a police car.

Van Dyke and his partner had just stopped for coffee at a nearby 7-Eleven when they heard radio calls and sped toward the scene.

Laurence Miller, a forensic psychologist, evaluated Van Dyke at the behest of the defense.

As Van Dyke and partner Joe Walsh drove toward McDonald, Miller said, Van Dyke asked Walsh why the officers on the scene hadn't shot McDonald since he attacked.

During the psychological evaluation, Miller said, Van Dyke recalled remarking to Walsh: “Oh my God, we’re going to have to shoot the guy.”

Two alternate jurors were dismissed from their duties Thursday. They said they found the prosecution's case against Van Dyke compelling.

Had they been regular members of the jury, they told reporters, they would have leaned toward convicting the officer.

"Shooting someone 16 times, that's a lot," one dimissed juror said.

The other dismissed juror told reporters that she thought the defense's focus on McDonald's past violence and drug use was irrelevant.

“Whatever he was doing that night doesn’t come into play into his final moments of his life," she said. "Jason Van Dyke didn’t know. … He had very limited information.”

Van Dyke jumped out of his squad car and opened fire moments after arriving at the scene.

The officer fired within six seconds of exiting the vehicle. In about 1.6 seconds McDonald was on the ground, never to get up again. Van Dyke fired for another 12.5 seconds, emptying his clip.

Van Dyke, who testified Tuesday in his own defense, said he continued to fire at McDonald because the teen was trying to get up.

Just before he opened fire, he said, McDonald raised the knife from his waist to above his shoulder.

That movement does not appear in the police video that was shown repeatedly to jurors throughout the trial.

“The video doesn’t show my perspective,” Van Dyke said under cross-examination.

"Laquan McDonald was never going to walk home that night," she said. "The defendant decided that on the way to the scene when he told his partner, 'I guess we’ll have to shoot him.' "

Herbert, the defense attorney, told the jury the shooting was a "tragedy but not a murder."

"It’s a tragedy that could’ve been prevented with one simple step," he said.

He picked up McDonald's knife and dropped it to the courtroom floor.

"Laquan McDonald was the author, choreographer of this story," he said. "Remember the right decision isn’t always the easiest decision.”

As the jury deliberates, Chicago Police are bracing for protests.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a Catholic priest and activist, took to social media this week to call on Chicagoans to “SHUT DOWN” the city if the jury does not convict Van Dyke.

“Anything Less than a CONVICTION, the next day Chicago should SHUT DOWN… NO ONE SHOULD GO TO WORK, SCHOOL, ANY STORES….A COMPLETE SHUT DOWN,” Pfelger wrote.

Activist William Calloway, a plaintiff in the lawsuit that forced the city to release the video, called for peaceful protests if Van Dyke is acquitted.

“We want people to rise up,” Calloway said.

The police department’s relationship in the African-American community has been strained by a long history of police brutality and allegations of heavy-handed tactics in the city’s low-income and minority communities.

The city borrowed some $709 million to pay settlements in police misconduct cases from 2010 to 2017, according to the Action Center on Race & the Economy.

A U.S. Department of Justice review last year found Chicago officers used force nearly 10 times more often in incidents involving black suspects than against white suspects.

The Rev. Gregory Livingston, a pastor who has led several protests in the city to spotlight concerns about policing in Chicago, said the Van Dyke trial is about “black Chicago versus the Chicago Police Department.”

“What it’s symbolic of is the unequal application of justice that has existed in Chicago in the black community,” Livingston said. “So even though he’s a police officer, what has to happen here in order for the black community to have some sense of justice is that no one is seen to be above the law.”

As Judge Gaughan was preparing to dismiss jurors for the evening Thursday, Van Dyke was several minutes late making his way back to court.

Assistant defense attorney Randy Rueckert said Van Dyke was tardy because one of his two young daughters had been threatened at school. Van Dyke went to make sure she was safe.

Gaughan scolded Van Dyke for being late, and told him to provide proof of the threat when court resumes Friday.

The judge warned that if Van Dyke doesn't have some documentation of the threat he might raise or revoke his bail.</s>Somewhat surprisingly, former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty for the death LaQuan McDonald. The fact many people are shocked a cop was taken to task is a testament to the state of the justice system.

Van Dyke, who is white, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of the Black 17-year-old in 2014.

Van Dyke, who was also found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery, sat impassively in a dark suit — his shoulders slumped — as the verdicts were read in the high-profile case. At one point, he sipped water from a bottle. He was found not guilty of official misconduct.

The officer’s wife sat stoically, arms folded, as the long verdict was delivered. His father lowered his head while some members of the McDonald family held hands.

Van Dyke’s bond was revoked and sentencing was scheduled for October 31. He was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

Van Dyke is reportedly the first Chicago police officer to be even charged with first-degree murder since 1980. Think about that.

The convicted murderer faces a minimum of 6 years in prison when he is sentenced.

Jason Van Dyke Found Guilty Of Murder In Shooting Death Of LaQuan McDonald was originally published on hiphopwired.com

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A Chicago police officer, Jason Van Dyke, is convicted of second degree murder in a historic jury verdict.