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Trial to begin for 3 CPD officers accused of cover-up in death of Laquan McDonald

Published  November 26, 2018 10:01pm CST
Chicago
FOX 32 Chicago

CHICAGO (Fox 32 News) - The trial is set to begin Tuesday for three Chicago police officers charged with trying to cover-up key details in the death of Laquan McDonald.

Prosecutors argue it was part of an effort to protect the officer now convicted of the teenager's murder, Jason Van Dyke.

Van Dyke is waiting to be sentenced. Now, his partner, former officer Joseph Walsh, along with Officer Thomas Gaffney and former Detective David March, go on trial Tuesday. The video of Van Dyke shooting Laquan McDonald's 16 times will likely be center stage -- again.

Prof. Richard Kling/Chicago Kent College of Law: “I think again you're going to see the Van Dyke video, the Laquan McDonald video, played over and over again. Because the judge is going to have to decide whether the reports that were written were consistent with the facts displayed in the video,” said Professor Richard Kling of Chicago Kent College of Law.

One difference this time around is Officer Dora Fontaine could be the star prosecution witness. She's expected to testify she was ordered to fabricate her reports to protect Van Dyke. Prosecutors say the officers falsely reported that McDonald attacked three other officers before Van Dyke opened fire.

“No officer was battered. They just all happened to pluck the number three out of thin air? They had identical false statements,” said prosecutor Ron Safer.

“If a few lines in a police report don’t match up with somebody's version of an event on a video camera, from a fixed position, it must be a crime? That is not the case,” said defense attorney Jim McKay.

Unlike Jason Van Dyke's trial, the defendants have asked that their case be decided by a judge, not a jury. Judge Domenica Stephenson once had a reputation for being pro-prosecution and pro-police, but she doesn't anymore.

“I've had cases in front of her. I think she calls them as she sees them,” Kling said.

Defense lawyers haven't said whether the cops will testify. The trial is expected to last a week or so.