Van Dyke Trial Day 3: Medical Examiner Testifies, Analyzes Laquan McDonald's Autopsy
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It took nearly three hours for the Cook County Medical Examiner to review the autopsy of Laquan McDonald in court Wednesday, analyzing bullet hole by bullet hole in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald.
CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports jurors heard from a nurse, paramedic, forensic firearm expert, and the medical examiner, who all spelled out, in painstaking detail, the injuries suffered by Laquan McDonald.
"The cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds," stated Cook County Medical Examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar.
In more than three hours on the witness stand, Arunkumar described each of the 16 bullet wounds that hit Laquan McDonald in October 2014.
There was a graze wound to the head, seven penetrating shots that left bullets or fragments behind and eight with exit wounds for a total of 24 bullet holes.
Special Prosecutor Joe McMahon asked Arunkumar if McDonald was alive for each and every gunshot. Arunkumar replied, "Yes."
Prosecution is trying to prove all 16 gunshot wounds are "rapidly fatal" but defense says only wounds 2 and 4 are "rapidly fatal." #VanDykeTrial @cbschicago
— Beth Bria (@BethBriaReports) September 19, 2018
Van Dyke's attorneys challenged McMahon's question regarding if each shot contributed to McDonald's death, countering that McDonald's neck or chest would could have been fatal.
Dean Angelo, a former President of the Fraternal Order of Police, stated he believes there's some redundancy.
Defense: Other than gunshot wounds number 2 and 4 was there any significant hemorrhage in the other gunshot wounds that would've caused death within 30 minutes?
M.E.: I cannot say for sure. #VanDykeTrial @cbschicago— Beth Bria (@BethBriaReports) September 19, 2018
McDonald's relatives were pleased. Pastor Marvin Hunter, McDonald's great uncle said, "They're doing a yeoman's job."
When asked about the empty seats in the courtroom for the high profile case and the absence of protesters outside, Hunter said, "I believe the lack here of is the people of the city of Chicago saying 'we aren't savages. We aren't protesting for the sake of protesting. We want change. We want systemic change.'"
Hunter and Jackson said they are convinced there will be a conviction.
Rev. Jackson said, "It would mean some measure of justice, but it would not stop the crisis," referring to the number of black men shot by police.
Rev. Jesse Jackson says a conviction in this case would mean a "measure of justice" but "that doesn't stop the crisis." #VanDykeTrial @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/WIyBoEPdMJ
— Beth Bria (@BethBriaReports) September 19, 2018
Dr. Arunkumar also talked about toxicology tests that showed McDonald was high on PCP, which can cause visual disturbances, hallucinations, and agitation.
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