The Chicago police officer charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment Tuesday. 
 
 Jason Van Dyke appeared for the first time in front of Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan, who was assigned to hear his case. His lawyer, Daniel Herbert, entered the plea at a brief hearing, notable primarily for the crush of reporters and a television camera present in the courtroom. 
 
 Van Dyke, 37, posted the required 10 percent of a $1.5 million bond and was freed from Cook County Jail last month. He was indicted earlier this month on six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct for fatally shooting McDonald. 
 
 Gaughan, a former public defender, has heard many of the county's most high-profile criminal cases, including the 2008 trial of singer R. Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges, and the trials of James Degorski and Juan Luna, both convicted of the 1993 mass murder of seven people at a Brown's Chicken. 
 
 The longtime judge is known for keeping an especially tight rein on his courtroom, which during the R. Kelly trial meant numerous closed-door meetings with attorneys that remained secret, over media objections, until the trial ended. He traveled years ago to California to learn from court officials there how they handled the onslaught of public and media attention during the Michael Jackson molestation trial. He said repeatedly in the run-up to the R. Kelly trial that his primary concern was for a “fair trial” and other concerns are “secondary.” 
 
 Although Van Dyke's attorney has not indicated whether his client will select a jury or bench trial, Chicago police officers have historically chosen to have their cases directly heard by a judge, which would place Gaughan in a crucial role. 
 
 On Tuesday, Van Dyke answered "here" when his name was called and walked before Judge LeRoy Martin Jr., the presiding judge at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Martin instructed a clerk to run Van Dyke's name through a program to randomly assign his case to a trial judge. A few seconds later, the clerk said Gaughan's courtroom had been selected. 
 
 There was a brief recess while Van Dyke consulted with Herbert before they returned to the bench and told Martin they would remain with Gaughan as the trial judge. All defendants have the option to have their case reassigned once to another judge. 
 
 Gaughan met with Herbert and prosecutors in chambers for about 17 minutes to discuss how the case will move forward. 
 
 "My plan is, we're going to do this like the other high-profile cases," said Gaughan, once he and the attorneys had returned to the courtroom. There will be regular court appearances, as well as in-chambers meetings with the attorneys, he said. 
 
 The judge's six-year term expires next year, meaning he would need approval from 60 percent of voters to keep his seat on the bench. The retention vote is likely to happen before Van Dyke's trial — first-degree murder cases rarely go to trial in Cook County within a year. 
 
 Gaughan, who has been on the bench since 1991, was most recently recommended for retention in 2010 by the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, which cited his smarts and case-management skills but noted "criticism with regard to his temper, particularly as directed toward attorneys in his courtroom." 
 
 McDonald's great-uncle Marvin Hunter told reporters after court that he was asking for the entire trial to be televised in order to hold public officials accountable. 
 
 "We now believe that it would be in the best interest of fairness and justice in this case if it was televised from gavel to gavel because we really believe that there is a culture in the county of Cook, with the Police Department and the criminal justice system, where police feel comfortable with murdering African-American people," Hunter said. 
 
 He said the shootings last weekend of Quintonio LeGrier, 19, and his 55-year-old neighbor Bettie Jones show Chicago police officers continue to "have some sense of comfortability within yourself to believe you can do this without any kind of recourse." 
 
 Although one judge said Tuesday's hearing could be recorded, the arraignment was not documented by the sole cameraman present, apparently because of confusion over whether Gaughan allowed it. 
 
 Van Dyke's attorney told reporters he has no opinion yet on whether the trial should be televised and said he has not yet decided if he will ask that the trial be moved to a location outside Cook County. He had previously said Mayor Rahm Emanuel's repeated comments about the case and Van Dyke was "Exhibit A" for the need for the change. 
 
 Herbert said prosecutors turned over to him today a first batch of evidence in the case, including transcripts and video of the shooting. 
 
 "He's doing OK, he's hanging in there," Herbert said of Van Dyke. "He wants his story to get out so that people don't see him as this coldblooded killer, but that's what the trial is for." 
 
 The case has created a firestorm after the release last month of a dash-cam video showing Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times within seconds of stepping out of his police car as the black teen moved away from the white officer. 
 
 Van Dyke's lawyer has said the veteran officer feared for his life when he shot McDonald on a Southwest Side street in October 2014. 
 
 The indictment against Van Dyke marked the first time a Chicago police officer has been charged with first-degree murder for an on-duty fatality in nearly 35 years. 
 
 The Police Department suspended Van Dyke without pay after he was charged. Van Dyke had been placed on paid desk duty after the shooting last year. 
 
 sschmadeke@tribpub.com 
 
 Twitter @SteveSchmadeke 

 CHICAGO (AP) — A white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a Chicago court. 
 
 FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2015 file photo, Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke leaves the Cook County Jail after posting bond in Chicago. Van Dyke, who is charged with murder in the shooting death of... (Associated Press) 
 
 Jason Van Dyke faces six counts of first-degree murder and one of official misconduct in the 17-year-old's death. 
 
 He appeared in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan in Cook County Criminal Court and was dressed in a dark suit and blue striped tie. The next hearing is set for Jan. 29. 
 
 Public outcry has been furious since a dashcam video was released last month showing the veteran officer shooting McDonald 16 times. The teenager, armed with a knife, was veering away from officers when Van Dyke opened fire. 
 
 The footage sparked days of street demonstrations, the forced resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and a broad federal civil rights investigation of the police department's practices and how allegations of officer misconduct are handled. 
 
 Over the weekend, Chicago Police shot and killed two other people, a 55-year-old woman who was shot accidentally and a 19-year-old man whom police have said was "combative" before he was shot. The department will not say how many officers fired their weapons or what the two people were doing before they were shot. 
 
 Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has been the target of heavy criticism and calls for resignation since the McDonald video was released last month, is due to return Tuesday afternoon from a family vacation in Cuba. 

 CHICAGO (AP) — The latest in the case of Chicago police officer charged in the fatal shooting of a teenager (all times local): 
 
 FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2015 file photo, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, accompanied by Interim Chicago Police Superintendent John Escalante, speaks during a news conference in Chicago. In the wake of another... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2015 file photo, Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke leaves the Cook County Jail after posting bond in Chicago. Van Dyke, who is charged with murder in the shooting death of... (Associated Press) 
 
 10:30 a.m. 
 
 The defense attorney for the white Chicago officer charged with murder in the death of a black teenager says "more education" for officers is a good thing. 
 
 Defense attorney Dan Herbert said that Officer Jason Van Dyke, who pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday, is "hanging in there" and wants to tell his side of the story so that he's not seeing "as this cold-blooded killer." 
 
 Herbert also said that they haven't ruled out asking for a change of venue. 
 
 Van Dyke shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times in October 2014. The city released squad car video of the shooting, which set off weeks of protests and led to the forced resignation of Chicago's police superintendent and a federal investigation of department practices. 
 
 Herbert also said that policy changes in the Chicago Police Department, including more education, would be beneficial. 
 
 Cook County attorneys were not available for comment after the arraignment. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 A white Chicago police officer who shot a black teenager 16 times has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. 
 
 Jason Van Dyke appeared in Cook County Criminal court Tuesday in Chicago. 
 
 Prosecutors announced last month they were charging Van Dyke with six counts of murder for the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. 
 
 Hours later, the city released squad car video of the shooting in which McDonald is seen veering away from Van Dyke before the veteran officer opens fire. Police have said McDonald had a knife. 
 
 The footage set off weeks of protests and led to the forced resignation of Chicago's police superintendent and a federal investigation of department practices. 
 
 Van Dyke, who is no longer being paid, has been free since posting bond. 
 
 Van Dyke's lawyer has said the officer "absolutely" can defend himself in court. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1 a.m. 
 
 A white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black teenager is expected to enter a plea at an arraignment. 
 
 Jason Van Dyke's hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Chicago. The veteran officer faces six counts of first-degree murder and one of official misconduct in the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. 
 
 Public outcry has been furious since a dashcam video was released last month showing Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times. The teenager, armed with a knife, was veering away from officers when Van Dyke opened fire. 
 
 The footage sparked days of street demonstrations, the forced resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and a broad federal civil rights investigation of the police department's practices and how allegations of officer misconduct are handled. 

 The Chicago police officer caught on dashcam video shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times to his death in October 2014 pleaded not guilty to murder charges Tuesday morning. NBC 5's Phil Rogers reports. (Published Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015) 
 
 The Chicago police officer caught on dashcam video shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times to his death in October 2014 pleaded not guilty to murder charges Tuesday morning. 
 
 Van Dyke appeared before Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan just before 10 a.m., pleading not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct. He was harassed by at least one heckler on his way into the courtroom. 
 
 Van Dyke’s attorney Dan Herbert called the proceedings an "important day" in the case, adding that transcripts and video evidence were released to the defense. 
 
 "The evidence will come in slowly," Herbert said. "We received a piece of evidence today and that will be a continuous process for probably the next several months until motions are filed, and we look forward to having a trial." 
 
 Van Dyke has been free on $1.5 million bond since Nov. 30 after spending six nights in Cook County, Illinois, jail. He was charged hours before video of McDonald’s shooting death went public, sparking weeks of demonstrations and unrest in Chicago. 
 
 Herbert previously argued the video does not tell the whole story and said Van Dyke feared for his life, which is why he fired his weapon. He added that although Van Dyke has said nothing following his brief appearances in court, the officer hopes his side of the story will soon be heard. 
 
 "(Van Dyke) wants his story to get out so that people don’t see him as this cold-blooded killer, and that’s what the trial is for," Herbert said. 
 
 The officer has not been to Chicago’s criminal courts building since earlier this month. As Van Dyke left the courthouse Dec. 18, several groups of people shouted profanities and pounded on the black pickup truck he was riding in before it pulled away. 
 
 The case has been widely publicized, with even Mayor Rahm Emanuel blasting the Chicago officer. 
 
 Emanuel previously told reporters, "Van Dyke violated both the standards of professionalism that come with being a police officer but also basic moral standards that bind our community together." 
 
 Herbert said after the December hearing he was considering requesting a change of venue because of Emanuel's criticism. He noted Tuesday that they are still considering the move. 
 
 "It’s something that’s not routinely done. In Cook County it hasn’t been done in decades," Herbert said. "I think with the current events and specifically the comments by the mayor in this case, not just on a day but continuing throughout the last few weeks, we intend to seek a change of venue. And quite frankly Exhibit A is going to be the mayor and his comments and we’re going to have to find a county that is outside the reach of the mayor’s comments."
– Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct in the shooting of Laquan McDonald in October 2014. Van Dyke—whose lawyers say shot the 17-year-old 16 times because he feared for his life—made his first appearance in front of Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan on Tuesday, reports the Chicago Tribune. At least one person heckled Van Dyke, who has been free on a $1.5 million bond, as he entered the courtroom, per NBC Chicago. His next hearing is Jan. 29, per the AP. Afterward, defense attorney Dan Herbert told the AP that Van Dyke is "hanging in there" and wants to show he isn't "this cold-blooded killer." The officer's lawyers previously suggested they might try to move Van Dyke's case out of Chicago after Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Van Dyke "violated both the standards of professionalism that come with being a police officer but also basic moral standards that bind our community together." Herbert told reporters on Tuesday that he hadn't ruled out a venue change. (Chicago is grappling with another lethal use of force by police.)