The People And Institutions Tied To The Death Of Laquan McDonald

For 13 months, the public was unable to see the police dashcam video that showed Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shoot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald on Oct. 20, 2014.

Then, on Nov. 24, 2015, Van Dyke was charged with murder and the city released the recording. The fallout continued for months: There were calls for the mayor to resign, the top cop was fired, and the U.S. Department of Justice found the city’s police force wasn’t properly trained and misconduct investigations were often biased.

Here is a breakdown of some of the key names and institutions associated with the shooting, fallout, and trial.

After the shooting, a handful of institutions played a key role in crafting a narrative, investigating the death, exposing the video, and prompting efforts to reform the police department.

After the video was released, the fallout lasted for months. The mayor fired the top cop, the people voted out the top prosecutor, and the state’s top law enforcement official pushed for a federal investigation.

Three current and former Chicago cops — Detective David March and Officers Thomas Gaffney and Joseph Walsh — were found not guilty on Jan. 17, 2019 of conspiring to cover up for Van Dyke.

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The People And Institutions Tied To The Death Of Laquan McDonald And Trial Of Officer Jason Van Dyke