Chicago cop charged with murder of teen is released on bail

CHICAGO, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The Chicago police officer charged last week with the murder of a teen was released from county jail Monday evening after a judge set his bond at $1.5 million, police said.

Former officer Jason Van Dyke, 37, turned himself in last week and was charged with first-degree murder for shooting and killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014.

A police dashcam video also released last week allegedly shows Van Dyke, who is white, shooting McDonald, who is black, 16 times on the evening of Oct. 20, 2014.

Van Dyke wore leg irons, handcuffs and a prison uniform as he appeared before Judge Donald Panarese on Monday. Van Dyke posted 10 percent of the bail -- or $150,000 -- and was released, Ben Breit, Cook County sheriff's department spokesman, said.

Van Dyke's attorney Daniel Herbert argued his client is no threat to the public, not a flight risk and plans to fight the charges. Prosecutors asked that the former officer be held without bail.

"He is very scared about the consequences that he's facing," Herbert said. "He's concerned for his wife and his children."

Herbert argued the video doesn't give the full picture of what happened on the night McDonald was killed and that Van Dyke acted in self defense. Herbert said Van Dyke will eventually be cleared.

"When you see the video alone, it does not seem like a justifiable shooting," Herbert said. "But there are certain things I know that quite frankly nobody else knows."

As Van Dyke made bail, the FBI arrested a suspect believed responsible for the recent online threat made against the University of Chicago that canceled classes Monday. Someone using the initials "JRD" threatened to kill 16 white students or faculty in revenge for McDonald.