Share Update:

CHICAGO — Two alternate jurors in the Jason Van Dyke trial who were dismissed Thursday said they both leaned toward a guilty verdict for Van Dyke.  The two were dismissed after the judge ordered jurors to stop deliberations for the day and sequestered 12 jurors and three other alternates. 

Both of the jurors, one man and one woman, spoke to press after they were dismissed around 6 p.m. The woman said she’d consider second-degree murder for Van Dyke, and the man said he would consider first-degree murder. 

“I would have leaned toward a guilty verdict," the woman said.  When asked why she came to that conclusion, she said, "I think the fact that other officers encountered him, Laquan McDonald, that night and they didn’t feel the need to use deadly force." 

The male juror said there were a lot of things that led him to decide Van Dyke was guilty. 

“I don’t know what else you could call that except for excessive force,” the female alternate juror said. 

Jury deliberations began Thursday around 1 p.m. and ended around 5:15 p.m. in the trial of Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer charged with murdering Laquan McDonald. 

Van Dyke, now 40, is charged with first-degree murder, official misconduct and aggravated battery in the Oct. 20, 2014, slaying of 17-year-old McDonald, who was shot 16 times. 

Van Dyke took the stand Tuesday to say he only shot McDonald after the teen refused to drop his knife and continued to advance at the officer.  Van Dyke's testimony contradicts accounts from eyewitnesses, who testified McDonald was walking away from police when Van Dyke opened fire. 

The jurors and alternates will be sequestered until a verdict is reached.  Deliberations will continue Friday morning.