Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, charged in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, takes the witness stand during a hearing in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. (Nancy Stone /Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) - A judge says statements a Chicago police officer made to a detective shortly after fatally shooting a black teenager can be used by prosecutors at the officer's murder trial.
The judge ruled in the case of Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with first-degree murder in Laquan McDonald's 2014 shooting. Van Dyke and the detective - who was charged Tuesday with conspiring to obstruct justice to help Van Dyke - both testified Wednesday.
The Chicago Sun-Times (http://bit.ly/2siI2Q8 ) reports that Van Dyke's lawyers argued he had been forced to answer questions that might incriminate him. Van Dyke told the judge he only gave statements because he believed he'd be fired if he didn't.
Now-retired Detective David March testified he never told Van Dyke he'd be disciplined for refusing to speak.
Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, charged in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, is sworn in before testifying during a hearing in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan Wednesday June 28, 2017, at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. (Nancy Stone /Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, charged in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, takes the witness stand during a hearing in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan Wednesday June 28, 2017, at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. (Nancy Stone /Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press