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An attorney for officer Jason Van Dyke, who fatally shot Laquan Mcdonald 16 times in 2014alleged Friday that his client was “sacrificed to an angry mob” in another attempt to dismiss first-degree murder charges, reports the Chicago Tribune.

From Chicago Tribune:

Attorneys for Officer Jason Van Dyke filed a second motion Friday to throw out the first-degree murder charges, saying that Cook County prosecutors “essentially misinformed” the grand jury in their haste to secure an indictment before video of the shooting was released by court order.

“There was a rush to sacrifice Jason Van Dyke to the angry mob that was out there,” attorney Daniel Herbert told a judge as the suspended officer stood by his side in Judge Vincent Gaughan’s courtroom in the Leighton Criminal Court Building. “The state’s attorney made the decision that she needed to get a first-degree indictment out as quick as possible. … The grand jury was deceived on critical issues.”

…The dashboard camera video of the white police officer shooting the black teen has caused a firestorm of controversy and led to a blistering report by the U.S. Justice Department that portrayed a broken Police Department in which officers commit misconduct and use excessive force with little fear of repercussions. The video showed Van Dyke opening fire within seconds of exiting his police SUV as McDonald walked away from police with a knife in his hand…Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is seeking to fire Van Dyke and four other officers whose accounts did not match the video.

Judge Vincent Gaughan decided against ruling on either motion to dismiss charges, saying any arguments about the subject would happen in an open court. Van Dyke is expected back in court on March 23, reports CBS Chicago.

SOURCE: Chicago TribuneCBS Chicago

SEE ALSO:

Chicago Cop Wants Laquan McDonald Murder Charge Dropped

Two Years After Laquan McDonald’s Death, Activists Call On Mayor To Step Down

 

 

Lawyers Claim Cop Who Killed Laquan Mcdonald Was ‘Sacrificed To Angry Mob’  was originally published on newsone.com