Examining the high-profile trial through the eyes of a defense attorney

Steven Greenberg knows his way around a courtroom. And he knows how to prepare for a high-profile murder trial. The longtime defense attorney weighs in on the impending trial of Jason Van Dyke.
As the high-profile murder case heads to trial in September, a look at key events in the months and years since Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shot Laquan McDonald.
The mother of slain teenager Laquan McDonald made a rare appearance in Cook County criminal court Thursday morning to testify before attorneys representing the Chicago police officer who shot and killed her son in 2014.
Because Jason Van Dyke’s attorneys claim he was justified in shooting teen Laquan McDonald, prosecutors may not refer to McDonald as a “victim.” However, they may refer to his death as a homicide.
If the mother of Laquan McDonald wants to attend the murder trial of the police officer who shot and killed her son, a judge said Tuesday, she will need to respond to a defense subpoena and show up to court this week.
Attorneys for suspended Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke will be allowed to use computer-generated animations as defense evidence in next month’s murder trial.
After a daylong hearing featuring hours of expert testimony and competing surveys, it remains to be seen where the trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke will be held.
A new judge won’t be brought on to decide whether the high-profile murder trial of a Chicago police officer will be moved out of Cook County despite a “novel” argument by defense attorneys.
Defense attorneys claim the judge handling the high-profile murder case is “prejudiced” against their motion to move the trial outside Cook County and should recuse himself from deciding the matter.
Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke will stand trial Sept. 5 in the shooting death of teenager Laquan McDonald.
Three-quarters of Cook County residents familiar with the high-profile case believe suspended police Officer Jason Van Dyke is guilty, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the defense.
Attorneys for Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke say prejudicial and inflammatory comments made by public officials have amounted to a "public execution" of their client.
Illinois’ highest court has struck down a Cook County judge’s order requiring all filings in the murder case of suspended Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke to be made in his chambers under seal.
In a 10-page written order, Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan noted that as many as nine witnesses called to testify Friday “could be exposed to harm” if their names were to be made public.
The judge in the high-profile murder case could unseal documents not yet seen by the public later this month. A defense expert witness also testified Wednesday about a possible change of venue in the case.
It’s been more than two years since Jason Van Dyke pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the death of Laquan McDonald. The judge in the case now says he wants the trial to get moving in the coming months.
 

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