Attorney: Cop Who Killed Laquan Can't Get A Fair Trial In Cook County

By Mae Rice in News on Jan 29, 2016 6:10PM

The attorney for the Chicago police officer who fatally shot Laquan McDonald 16 times says the cop cannot get a fair trial in Cook County.

Officer Jason Van Dyke’s attorney plans to request a change of venue for the officer’s upcoming homicide trial, arguing that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s comments on the case have made it too difficult to find an unbiased jury in Chicago.

Emanuel previously told reporters, "Obviously in this case, Van Dyke violated both the standards of professionalism that come with being a police officer but also basic moral standards that bind our community together.”

Though he doesn’t have an alternate location in mind, attorney Dan Herbert, who is representing Van Dyke, told reporters he would "have to find a county that is outside the reach of the mayor's comments,” the AP reports.

Van Dyke has been indicted for six counts of homicide for shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times. Dashcam footage of the shooting was released this past November, sparking protests throughout the city.

Herbert previously said that this request is uncommon, and hasn’t been done “in decades” in Cook County, according to NBC.

Van Dyke appeared in court Friday for a status hearing. As he left the hearing, people outside cursed at him and pounded on his vehicle, the AP reported.