Judge Sets $1.5 Million Bond For Officer Charged With Laquan McDonald's Murder

By Kate Shepherd in News on Nov 30, 2015 10:30PM

Bail was set at $1.5 million Monday for the Chicago police officer charged with first-degree murder for shooting Laquan McDonald.

Judge Donald Panarese Jr. reviewed the footage of Jason Van Dyke shooting McDonald before setting bail, according to the Tribune. When Van Dyke was arraigned last week he was ordered held in jail on no bond, meaning his family would not be able to pay the 10 percent of his bond amount required the county to release him.

Van Dyke, 37, wore a brown Department of Corrections jumpsuit and showed no expression when his bond was announced at the hearing.

The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police is not only standing by Van Dyke, they are fundraising to get him out of the Cook County Jail. Anyone who wants to donate to the "JVD Bond Fund" can make a donation at any of the four Chicago Patrolmens' Federal Credit Union location, the FOP wrote on their website. Checks can also be made out to Tiffany Van Dyke, whose GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for her husband's bail was removed last week. His family wants him to be home for the holidays, Tiffany Van Dyke wrote on her GoFundMe page.

In order to get out of jail, Van Dyke will have to post $150,000 to be released.

Prosecutors wanted to hold the cop without bail but his attorney, Daniel Herbert, argued that he is not a flight risk.