COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Cook County judge on Thursday said he expected to appoint a special prosecutor in the murder case against Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke by Aug. 4.
Van Dyke, 38, has been charged with shooting and killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. Video of the shooting sparked citywide protests that shut down the Mag Mile.
Earlier this month, Judge Vincent Gaughan agreed to appoint a special prosecutor in Van Dyke's case after Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez unexpectedly recused herself from the proceedings.
On Thursday, Gaughan said he had reached out to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the Illinois Appellate Court and prosecutors from 101 counties across Illinois to find a new prosecutor.
The judge said he heard back from most of the parties and hoped to appoint a special prosecutor during Van Dyke's next court hearing, slated for Aug. 4 at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, 2600 S. California Ave.
Alvarez's surprise recusal was likely a response to a February petition seeking a special prosecutor in the case. Petitioners, including several local attorneys and activists, argued that Alvarez couldn't be trusted because she had a "political alliance with the police union."
The petition also asked Gaughan to appoint special prosecutors to investigate any potential wrongdoing by Chicago Police officers who were on the scene with Van Dyke the night he killed McDonald.
The judge is expected to address that request Friday during a 9 a.m. hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
Van Dyke is free on bond as he awaits trial in the murder of McDonald.
According to prosecutors, McDonald had been stealing car radios and was armed with a three-inch blade when Chicago Police officers in Archer Heights called in a radio request for a Taser on Oct. 20, 2014.
Van Dyke and his partner responded to the call, but never specified whether they had a Taser. Within seconds of arriving on the scene, Van Dyke pulled his gun and emptied his clip into McDonald, shooting the teen 16 times, according to authorities.
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