By Erick Johnson, Chicago Crusader The mother of Laquan McDonald was questioned by lawyers in a closed hearing after Judge Vincent Gaughan cleared the courtroom of spectators and members of the media on Thursday, August 16. Gaughan made the move, fearing that there may or may not be evidence that

By Erick Johnson, Chicago Crusader After an all-day hearing, Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan announced he will make a decision on the location of the Laquan McDonald trial after jury selection. A September 5 trial date has been set for Jason Van Dyke, whose attorney has requested a change of

By Erick Johnson A sociology professor who was paid $12,000 to conduct a study on the impact of excessive media publicity on potential jurors in the Laquan McDonald trial was grilled on the witness stand Friday in a last ditch effort to convince a Cook County judge to move the

By WGN TV A trial date has been set for the Chicago police officer charged with murdering 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder, official misconduct and aggravated battery. He will face trial September 5, a Cook County judge announced Tuesday. It was

Crusader Staff Report A Cook County judge has pushed back the trial of three Chicago police officers charged with covering up the Laquan McDonald shooting in 2014. The trial for former Detective David March, ex-Officer Joseph Walsh and Officer Thomas Gaffney was originally scheduled to start July 10, but Judge

By Erick Johnson, Chicago Crusader The Illinois State Supreme Court has ordered a Chicago judge in the Laquan McDonald case to stop the practice of routing every court filing directly to his chambers. The move is in response to an appeal from news organizations covering the pre-trial hearings of Officer

Crusader staff report Reporters and guests attending a pre-trial hearing of the Laquan McDonald murder case were kicked out of the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court building on Friday, May 4. The move happened at 11:30 a.m. when Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan decided to hold a close-door meeting

Patience wearing thin for judge after over two years of pre-trial hearings Crusader Staff Report Chicago’s most notorious police shooting case may go to trial this summer because a Cook County judge is getting impatient with defense attorneys who are moving too slow with the case. The pre-trial proceedings have

By Keith Chambers and City Editor Erick Johnson The word is out on Ald. Carrie Austin (34th). Two years after many of Chicago’s Black aldermen stood silent amid accusations of the city’s cover-up of the Laquan McDonald case, Austin is defending Mayor Rahm Emanuel. She becomes the first Black political

Crusader staff report After reviewing evidence, listening to testimonies and questioning witnesses, the grand jury in the Laquan McDonald cover up case has wrapped up its investigation of Chicago police officers accused of lying to protect an officer who shot the teenager 16 times in 2014. Special Prosecutor Patricia Holmes