16 Shots
Channel Details
16 Shots
A podcast about the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, the trial of Officer Jason Van Dyke, and the troubled relationship between African-Americans and the Chicago Police Department. Brought to you by WBEZ Chicago and The Chicago Tribune
Recent Episodes
32 episodesEpisode 31: Van Dyke’s Release From Prison
Jason Van Dyke is being released from prison after serving just 40 months of his 81-month sentence for the killing of Laquan McDonald. What happens ne...
Ep 30: 81 Months
Judge Vincent Gaughan sentences Jason Van Dyke to 81 months in prison. It means he’ll likely serve about 3 years. The officer celebrates with his atto...
Ep 29: Not Guilty
Judge Domenica Stephenson finds 3 Chicago police officers did not lie in their reports to cover-up for Jason Van Dyke the night he killed Laquan McDon...
Ep 28: Consensus or Conspiracy?
Defense attorneys present just one witness and some documents. That comes after 7 prosecution witnesses over 4 days. The sides make their closing argu...
Ep 27: Cover-up Trial Begins
Attorneys give their opening statements in the conspiracy trial of officers who were on the scene when Jason Van Dyke killed Laquan McDonald and a det...
Ep 26: Bad Paper
A month and a half after Jason Van Dyke was convicted of murder, three other Chicago police officers face charges of conspiring to cover-up for him. P...
Ep 25: Benedictions
On the Sunday after the verdict, we go to two Chicago churches in very different neighborhoods and hear their very different takes on Van Dyke, the sh...
Ep 24: Inside The Jury Room
The jurors talk to reporters about why they convicted Van Dyke. Activists express thanks for the guilty verdict and Van Dyke’s attorney Dan Herbert sa...
Ep 23: Guilty Of Second-Degree Murder
Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke has been found guilty of second-degree murder and on all 16 counts of aggravated battery.
Ep 22: Closing Arguments
Lawyers gave their closing arguments Thursday in the murder trial of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald.
Ep 21: The Defense Rests
We examine the defense’s case and hear about what Chicago police officers are saying about the trial.
Ep 20: Van Dyke Testifies
Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke took the stand in his own defense in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald.
Ep 19: Will He Testify?
After four days of defense witnesses, one key person has not testified: Officer Jason Van Dyke. We explore the potential costs and benefits of Van Dyk...
Ep 18: The Effects Of PCP
Lawyers for Officer Jason Van Dyke called witnesses Thursday to testify about PCP, police training, and McDonald’s behavior hours before the shooting.
Ep 17: The Initial Call
A truck driver who called 911 took the witness stand and described fighting off a knife-wielding man moments before Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally sho...
Ep 16: From Van Dyke's Perspective
The defense presented a computer-generated video that showed the shooting of Laquan McDonald from the perspective of Officer Jason Van Dyke.
Ep 15: The Defense Begins
Lawyers for Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke called their first witnesses on Monday. One big question remains: Will Van Dyke take the stand?
Ep 14: Analyzing The Prosecution
Our panel of experts reviews the prosecution's case and answers questions about the trial.
Ep 13: The Prosecution Rests
An expert on police use of deadly force testified that Jason Van Dyke didn’t need to shoot Laquan McDonald.
Ep 12: The Autopsy Explained
The third day of testimony in the murder trial of Officer Jason Van Dyke focused on Laquan McDonald’s autopsy. We also explore the demeanor of Judge V...
Ep 11: Van Dyke’s Police Partner Testifies
The prosecution continued to call witnesses Tuesday, including Jason Van Dyke’s partner the night of the shooting. We bring you more details from the...
Ep 10: Opening Statements
In opening statements, prosecutors said Officer Jason Van Dyke didn’t need to shoot and the defense said Laquan McDonald was out of control. We bring...
Ep 9: A Jury Of His Peers
The 12 jurors and 5 alternates have been picked to decide Jason Van Dyke’s fate. With only one black juror, the racial makeup is controversial. We exp...
Ep 8: Building A Jury
Judge Vincent Gaughan began to interview potential jurors on Monday. The first five were selected. We discuss what the prosecution and defense are loo...
Ep 7: Bail & Reform
CPD Officer Jason Van Dyke was briefly taken into custody Thursday because of what he said to the media. Meanwhile, the city of Chicago reached an agr...
Ep 6: Jury Selection Begins
Jason Van Dyke’s trial started Wednesday. We take you inside the courtroom for the start of jury selection and outside where protesters gathered in fo...
Ep 5: The Trial
The trial of Jason Van Dyke begins today. We profile the lawyers and the judge. Two Chicago legal veterans tell us the moves they expect each side to...
Ep 4: Chicago’s Mayor Says He Won’t Run Again
A day before the trial of Jason Van Dyke, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made a surprise announcement - he won’t seek a third term in office. The mayor ha...
Ep 3: The Fallout
Protesters take to the streets of Chicago after officials release the a video of Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting Laquan McDonald. Critics atta...
Ep 2: Pattern & Practice
The fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald aggravated longstanding tensions between Chicago police and the city’s black residents. We look at how a...
Ep 1:The Night Of
The police shooting of Laquan McDonald forces Chicago to prepare for potential riots. We piece together details from McDonald’s too-short life and hea...
Preview - 16 Shots: The Police Shooting of Laquan McDonald
Almost four years ago, Laquan McDonald, a black teenager, was fatally shot by Jason Van Dyke, a white Chicago Police officer. Police reported McDonald...