Van Dyke's appeal dismissed at his own request

Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke's appeal of his 2018 conviction for killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014 was dismissed Friday following Van Dyke's own request to drop the appeal.

Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon had been appointed to prosecute the case after the Cook County state's attorney's office agreed to a request for a special prosecutor.

McMahon commented on the dismissal of the appeal Friday.

"Mr. Van Dyke's decision prevents additional years of litigation, bringing finality to the thorough prosecution of this case in which his rights were protected and justice was served," McMahon said in a statement. "I wish to again thank everyone who diligently worked with us on this case from the time of our appointment as special prosecutor in August 2016 through today's Appellate Court ruling."

The Appellate Court of Illinois 1st District made the formal ruling Friday on the Sept. 29 motion by Van Dyke's attorney that the appeal be dropped.

On Oct. 20, 2014, Van Dyke responded to a call for a disturbance near the 4100 block of South Pulaski Road in Chicago and shot McDonald 16 times. Most of the shots were fired after McDonald fell to the ground.

Multiple Chicago police officers were already on the scene when Van Dyke arrived. Within seconds he began shooting at McDonald, who was walking away from him. McDonald died a short time later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

A Cook County jury in October 2018 convicted Van Dyke of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Van Dyke was sentenced to six years and nine months of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Under Illinois law, Van Dyke likely will serve about half of the sentence, according to the Kane County state's attorney's office.