List Of Key Players In Jason Van Dyke Murder Trial

Here are the main characters in the Jason Van Dyke murder trial.

Jason Van Dyke

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged in the murder of Laquan McDonald. Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times on October 20, 2014. Cook County prosecutors charged Van Dyke with first-degree murder in November 2015, and he was formally indicted a month later.

Laquan McDonald

Laquan McDonald was shot and killed by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke on October 20, 2014. McDonald was shot 16 times as he walked away from police and was armed only with a pocket knife.

Judge Vincent Gaughan

Cook County judge presiding over the Van Dyke trial. Gaughan presided over trials for R. Kelly's child pornography charges and Brown's Chicken massacre. He has been a judge since 1991.

Tina Hunter, Laquan McDonald's mother 

Judge Vincent Gaughan ruled Hunter has to comply with a defense attorney subpoena or be barred from attending the trial. She appeared in court but before she could take the witness stand the judge cleared the courtroom so the public and media could not hear her testimony.

Joseph McMahon

 Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon was appointed to take over the prosecution of  Van Dyke. Gaughan agreed in June to appoint a special prosecutor after Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez recused herself from the case. McMahon was appointed Kane County State's Attorney in November 2010. Before he was appointed Kane County State's Attorney, he was in the private practice of law, representing small and mid-sized organizations as their outside general counsel.

Daniel Herbert

Herbert is Van Dyke's defense attorney.  He is a former Chicago Police Officer, former Cook County prosecutor, and former in-house attorney for the Fraternal Order of Police.