Judge hopes to name Van Dyke special prosecutor by August

Jason Van Dyke

A judge says he hopes to name a special prosecutor by Aug. 4 in the case of a white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a black teenager.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Judge Vincent Gaughan said during a Thursday court hearing that notices have been sent to state's attorneys across Illinois to see whether they want to handle officer Jason Van Dyke's case. That includes Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office and the state appellate prosecutor's office.

Gaughan said he would search for an outside prosecutor after Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez asked last month to step aside.

Van Dyke is accused of shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times in October 2014, killing him.