Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday on charges of six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald in October 2014.
Van Dyke's charges, pressed Nov. 24, just before the release of dashboard camera footage of the shooting, marked the first time an on-duty officer in Chicago had been charged with murder in 35 years. The now-released footage shows McDonald walking away from police with a small knife in his hand and Van Dyke then firing 16 shots at McDonald.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.