CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a Chicago police officer in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald (all times local):
7:20 p.m.
Five people have been selected so far to sit on the jury for the murder trial of a Chicago police officer.
Jason Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald, a black teenager, 16 times in 2014. Three women and two men were picked for the jury on Monday.
They all were chosen after writing on the questionnaires they filled out last week and reiterating during questioning that they could be fair.
The women are a Hispanic mother of three young children who said she respects police officers, a white woman who works as a record keeper and said she wanted to see evidence before forming an opinion, and a white woman who said she saw the video of the shooting but hadn’t made up her mind.
The two men selected are an Asian-American financial analyst who said on his questionnaire that everyone including police officers must abide by the law, and a white man who is gay and said he didn’t know much about the case.
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4:55 p.m.
The number of people who have been selected to sit on the jury in the case of a Chicago police officer charged with murder in the 2014 shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald has grown to four.
On Monday morning, the first would-be juror questioned by prosecutors and attorneys representing Officer Jason Van Dyke was selected. She is a Hispanic mother of three young children.
A white woman who works as a record keeper was selected later in the morning.
In the afternoon, two men were selected: an Asian-American financial analyst, and a white man who is gay.
All were picked after writing on the questionnaires they filled out last week and reiterating during questioning on Monday that they could be fair.
Other would-be jurors have been dismissed after telling attorneys that given what they know about the case they didn’t believe they could be impartial. And a number were dismissed after saying that sitting on a jury for days or weeks would create a financial hardship.
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12:40 p.m.
A Hispanic mother of three young children has been selected to sit on the jury in the case of a Chicago police officer charged with murder in the 2014 shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald.
The woman was one of the first five potential jurors who were questioned on Monday morning by prosecutors and attorneys for Jason Van Dyke. The other four were dismissed, including one man who looked at Van Dyke and said he couldn’t put aside what he knows about the shooting and be fair to the officer.
A woman was dismissed after she told the attorneys that for anyone who has seen the now-famous dashcam video of Van Dyke firing 16 shots at the teen, it would be hard to believe McDonald wasn’t murdered.
Some 200 people are part of the jury pool and the questioning of the potential jurors is expected to last for several days.
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10:45 a.m.
Attorneys are starting to question possible jurors in the trial of a Chicago police officer charged with first-degree murder in the 2014 shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald.
The first prospective juror was called Monday morning to answer questions from prosecutors and defense lawyers in the trial of Jason Van Dyke. A pool of about 200 possible jurors filled out questionnaires last week, but this is the first chance for attorneys to talk with them.
One issue they will certainly be asked about is the extensive media coverage the shooting has received since the release of dashcam video of Van Dyke shooting the teen 16 times.
Van Dyke’s attorneys say they don’t believe he can get a fair trial in Chicago and want it moved from the city. The judge says he wants to see how jury selection goes before making a decision.
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12:40 a.m.
Attorneys are expected to start questioning possible jurors in the trial of a Chicago police officer charged with first-degree murder in the 2014 shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald.
Dozens of prospective jurors in the trial of Jason Van Dyke filled out questionnaires last week, but Monday is expected to be attorneys’ first chance to talk to them.
One issue they will certainly be asked about is the extensive media coverage the shooting has received since the release of dashcam video of Van Dyke shooting the teen 16 times.
Van Dyke’s attorneys say they don’t believe he can get a fair trial in Chicago and have asked that it be moved from the city. The judge says he wants to see how jury selection goes before making a decision.
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