Former Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke sentenced to under 7 years in prison in Laquan McDonald shooting
CHICAGO - Former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was sentenced Friday to nearly seven years in prison for the fatal on-duty shooting of Laquan McDonald, bringing to a close one of the most racially fraught and socially significant chapters in recent Chicago history.
Van Dyke remained stoic as Cook County Circuit Judge Vincent Gaughan announced the sentence about 5:30 p.m. after a long day of often emotional testimony. Moments later, Van Dyke's teenage daughter seated in the gallery burst into tears.
But the relatively lenient six-year, nine-month sentence for second-degree murder counts as a victory for Van Dyke, who could be out of custody in as little as three years, his attorney told reporters.
"He truly felt great," the attorney, Daniel Herbert, said of Van Dyke. "He was not just relieved, he was happy. It's the first time I've seen the guy - honestly since this whole ordeal started - where he was happy. He's certainly not happy about going to jail. He's certainly not happy about missing his family.
