Jason Van Dyke Guilty Of Murder In Laquan McDonald Shooting

Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer charged with murder in the 2014 shooting death of teenager Laquan McDonald while on duty, was found guilty on Friday.

A Cook County jury found Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder, as well as 16 counts of aggravated battery ― one for each bullet he fired into McDonald, 17. He was acquitted of official misconduct, and a charge of first-degree murder was vacated for the second-degree conviction.

Judge Vincent Gaughan revoked bail and ordered Van Dyke taken into custody to await sentencing later this month. The officer faces up to 20 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge, and each aggravated battery charge carries a maximum sentence of six to 30 years.

The jury deliberated for less than eight hours over two days in the case, in which Van Dyke faced the possibility of life in prison for shooting McDonald on a Chicago street in October 2014 ― much of the confrontation captured on a police car dashcam. 

Van Dyke showed little emotion as the verdict was read by the foreman of the jury, which consisted of eight women and four men. He was promptly led out of the courtroom after the verdict.

Across the city, protesters gathered in groups and waited for the verdict to come down. In front of City Hall, more than two dozen people formed and held signs, according to the Chicago Tribune. Some held phones to their ears as the verdict was read and, upon the word “guilty,” cheered and chanted.

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The McDonald family will continue to remain in my thoughts. I hope this first step of justice can bring them some peace and closure. I hope sentencing also brings them some peace and closure. I  hope to see more and more convictions when it comes down to these police officers murdering people unjustly. Just like they have family to go home to, so do others. Police are not above the law nor above any other human being.