Van Dyke Faces 16 New Counts; One For Each Shot Fired At McDonald
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A new indictment against Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke was unsealed Thursday. It added 16 counts of aggravated battery, one for each shot fired at Laquan McDonald.
The new indictment still includes the six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct that Van Dyke was charged with former State's Attorney Anita Alvarez handled the case.
Van Dyke, 38, is accused of shooting the 17-year-old 16 times in October 2014. He wasn't charged until last year after a shocking dash cam video of the incident was released and prompted protests across the country. Police suspended Van Dyke without pay for a year and half and are trying to fire him.
Defense attorneys filed a three-page motion in January trying to dismiss the indictment. They argued statements Van Dyke made to investigators were improperly used against him.
Daniel Herbert told Judge Vincent Gaughan that the new motion focused on a "whole different set of irregularities that were done" before the grand jury. Herbert entered a "not guilty" plea for Van Dyke on the new battery charges.
Attorneys for the police officer filed a second motion on Feb. 3 seeking to dismiss the murder charges. They alleged the Cook County state's attorney's office misled a grand jury weighing in on the 2014 shooting.
