Van Dyke avoids federal charges in Laquan McDonald’s death

By DON BABWIN
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Federal authorities say they will not criminally charge Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer convicted of murder in the 2014 shooting death of Black teenager Laquan McDonald. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago said in a news release Monday that the decision was made after consulting with the McDonald family and that the “family was in agreement not to pursue a second prosecution.” Van Dyke was convicted in 2018 of second-degree murder and aggravated battery, and was sentenced to 81 months in state prison. The former officer served less than half that sentence before he was released from prison in February.