Jason Van Dyke Beaten In Prison: Ex-Chicago Cop Attacked By Fellow Inmates

Jason Van Dyke, a former Chicago police officer convicted of murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, was beaten in his prison cell shortly after being transferred from Illinois custody to a federal facility in Connecticut in early February. Sources close to the case said Wednesday the attack occurred after Van Dyke arrived at the federal prison and as put in general population.

A source told the Chicago Tribune that the former officer was held in isolation when he was in state prison. There were no security threats or other incidents that could have prompted the transfer, about which his family and attorneys learned later. Van Dyke in October was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery in McDonald's death. He was given an 81-month sentence for the state charges in January.

"We are deeply concerned about Jason's safety and we do not understand why the IDOC (Corrections Department) made the decision that led to this. We expect authorities to take the necessary steps to protect him and will not step until we feel that they have done so," a spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police said.

Van Dyke's wife, Tiffany, planned to hold a news conference Thursday morning to protest the attack on her husband.

“We are all petrified and in fear for Jason’s life,” Tiffany told the Sun-Times. “Jason just wants to serve his sentence. He does not want any trouble. I hope prison officials will take steps to rectify this right away. He never should have been in the general population.”

While details about the attack and reason for the transfer remain unclear, a source close to the Van Dyke family told USA Today that the ex-policeman suffered facial injuries in the Feb. 5 attack.

“He was in another facility where he felt safe and then he was moved (to Connecticut),” Jennifer Blagg, a defense attorney assisting Van Dyke on his appeal, said.

Van Dyke’s defense team was in contact with the Illinois Department of Correction to discuss his safety.

“Jason runs into problems because of what he represents and there are inmates who resent that and would be proud to say they are the guy that beat him up or hurt him,” Blagg told USA Today. “We’re obviously concerned because what he’s come to symbolize.”

Murder charges against Van Dyke came the same day as the court-ordered release of graphic dashboard camera footage showing him shoot McDonald 16 times as the teen walked away from police holding a knife in his hand. Weeks after Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan sentenced Van Dyke to 81 months in prison, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Special Prosecutor Joseph McMahon filed a petition with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking a new sentencing hearing for the former officer, arguing the trial judge did not follow state laws in the sentencing process. Raoul called for a sentence for Van Dyke that would be no less than 18 years in prison.