Laquan McDonald Shooting Update: Jason Van Dyke Court Hearing Scheduled Amid Chicago Protests

UPDATE: 1:21 p.m. EST — The Chicago police officer indicted for last year's the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald has been scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 29, following his appearance in court Friday, local media reported. Jason Van Dyke faces charges of six counts of first degree murder and a count of official misconduct stemming from the shooting, the after effects of which have upended Chicago since a video of the shooting was released last month showing Van Dyke firing 16 shots at McDonald.

The whole Friday court appearance lasted just seconds, local media reported. Dan Herbert, Van Dyke’s attorney, said after the hearing that his client can’t get a fair trial in Cook County based on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's comments about Van Dyke, criticizing him for the shooting.

A small crowd of people followed Van Dyke out of the courthouse Friday shouting “16 times and a cover up," local media reported. A video taken of the incident showed Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times.

Original Story:

The attorney for Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, accused of murder in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, said Friday he may ask for a change of venue. Van Dyke, who is white, was indicted earlier this week and was scheduled to appear before a judge at noon CST Friday in Cook County Criminal Court, the Associated Press reported. Van Dyke, faces six counts of first degree murder and a count of official misconduct in the October 2014 shooting of McDonald, 17.

The hearing provides an opportunity for prosecutors to read Van Dyke’s indictment. Van Dyke attorney Dan Herbert told the AP his client is expected to attend. Within the next few weeks, an arraignment will be scheduled.

Herbert has said he may ask for a change of venue for Van Dyke in light of comments made by Mayor Rahm Emanuel about his client. The mayor said last month after the video was released Van Dyke violated the professional standards of a police officer and the “basic moral standards” that hold the Chicago community together.

Van Dyke is free on $1.5 million bail, and the presiding judge Friday is expected to assign another judge to take over the case after the court appearance. Following the release of a police dash-cam video of the shooting, protests erupted in the city, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was forced out and calls came for Emanuel to step down, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Hours before the video was released, prosecutors charged Van Dyke with first-degree murder. The video shows Van Dyke firing 16 shots at McDonald. His defense has previously said Van Dyke feared for his life as McDonald reportedly had a knife.

Protests were planned leading up to Van Dyke’s Friday hearing, as well, one of which was targeting travelers at Chicago’s Midway Airport, making holiday travel a bit more difficult. In that instance, demonstrators planned to march to the airport, blocking traffic along the way.

"We know that only boycotting works," Willie J.R. Fleming of the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign told WLS-TV, Chicago. "Whether it's voluntary or involuntary. And so it's a form of boycott, we want to create an inconvenience for people. We want there to be some economic repercussions."

A second protest is planned to be held outside the courthouse where Van Dyke is scheduled to make his appearance Friday. A separate protest is scheduled for the Loop, the central business district of Chicago, at 3:16 p.m. to symbolize the 16 times McDonald was shot.