16 Shots

By WBEZ & the Chicago Tribune

What's 16 Shots about?

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

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16 Shots episodes:

02.03.2022
Episode 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 next? We hear from McDonald’s family about Van Dyke’s release and their reflections on the...
01.19.2019
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 attorneys. Young activists are angry and struggle to make sense of it.
01.18.2019
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 McDonald. Defense attorneys call her courageous. Activist Will Calloway says the code of silence extends...
12.07.2018
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 arguments and Judge Domenica Stephenson says she’ll announce a verdict December 19.
11.28.2018
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 detective who led the investigation of the shooting. We take a closer look at the...
11.21.2018
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. Prosecutors say the officers’ reports exaggerated the threat Laquan McDonald posed. Defense attorneys say...
10.11.2018
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 shooting and the trial. We hear from Laquan’s friends and are surprised at what...
10.06.2018
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 says cops are now going to stay in their cars.
10.05.2018
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.
10.04.2018
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.
10.03.2018
Ep 21: The Defense Rests
We examine the defense’s case and hear about what Chicago police officers are saying about the trial.
10.02.2018
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.
09.28.2018
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 Dyke testifying and we look at a previous police shooting in which he gave testimony...
09.27.2018
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.
09.26.2018
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 shot Laquan McDonald.
09.25.2018
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.
09.24.2018
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?
09.21.2018
Ep 14: Analyzing The Prosecution
Our panel of experts reviews the prosecution's case and answers questions about the trial.
09.20.2018
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.
09.19.2018
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 Vincent Gaughan.
09.18.2018
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 second day of testimony.
09.17.2018
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 you more from the first day of testimony.
09.14.2018
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 explore how the jurors were picked -- and what we know about them.
09.10.2018
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 looking for. NOTE: A previous version of this episode contained an error. It was about the defense argument...
09.06.2018
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 agreement on sweeping reforms in the police department that will be enforced by a...
09.05.2018
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 force.
09.05.2018
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 make. And we ask what this trial means for Chicago.
09.04.2018
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 has faced intense scrutiny for how he handled the shooting of Laquan...
08.31.2018
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 attack the mayor and police department. A federal investigation finds a pattern of abuse by Chicago officers.
08.30.2018
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 troubled police department spun a narrative of the shooting, how that narrative fell apart, and how the...
08.29.2018
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 hear from Officer Jason Van Dyke in his first interview since the shooting.
08.24.2018
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 was attacking officers. A video from the scene told a different story. Trust in Chicago police...