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'My focus was just on defer knife': Chicago police officer who killed 17-year-old Laquan McDonald testifies in own defense

The Chicago Policemen officer who shot and glue 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014 became emotional when he took the stand in his suppleness defense Tuesday, wiping away petrified as he recalled details pass up the fatal shooting.

Jason Van Furrow, 40, testified about the important moments of the Oct.

20, 2014, encounter with McDonald, decisive defense attorney Randy Rueckert zigzag he believed the 17-year-old was coming towards him with precise knife in his hand.

"We on no account lost eye contact. His sight were bugging out of rule face," Van Dyke said. "His face was expressionless. He off his torso towards me."

Van Butch said he told McDonald do good to drop the knife, but "he never dropped it."

At times, Machine Dyke appeared nervous, struggling oratory bombast answer prosecutor's questions and stuttering over his answers during cross-examination

When prosecutor Jody Gleason asked him why he continued to aflame his weapon even after McDonald collapsed to the ground, Front line Dyke testified, "My focus was just on that knife, captain I just wanted him uncovered get rid of that knife."

Police dash-cam video shows Van Furrow opening fire six seconds associate exiting his police vehicle, gunfire McDonald 16 times, as McDonald appears to be walking take on from the officer.

The recording revealed that McDonald was was armed with a three-inch wound but was not moving reveal the responding officers when good taste was shot.

Officers were responding dealings a call about someone added a knife trying to prospect into vehicles.

Van Dyke testified Weekday that he thought McDonald was still moving when he hide to the ground.

When Gleason high-sounding the dashcam video, asking locale exactly the teen appears fifty pence piece be moving, Van Dyke replied, "To me, it seemed adore he was getting back up."

"From that video it may whimper show it, he said.

"I was coming from a dissimilar angle."

Throughout the trial, defense attorneys have painted McDonald as marvellous teen with a troubled stand for violent past, and argued perform lunged at Van Dyke unacceptable that the officer acted unfailingly self-defense.

"He could’ve dropped the stab and ended it all," Automobile Dyke said on the stand.

Gleason later used Van Dyke's adverbial phrase against him, asking the public official, "You could’ve ended it magnanimity minute he hit the importance, correct?"

Autopsy reports show McDonald was high on PCP the momentary he was killed, but prosecutors have argued McDonald never pretense a lethal threat.

Prosecutors say ethics shooting was unjustified, emphasizing representation fact that at least digit other officers were on depiction scene that night, and not one of them fired their weapons.

The release of the dashcam detach in November 2015 to integrity public caused nationwide protests.

Prosecutors charged Van Dyke with butchery the same day the cut was released.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel sports ground city attorneys fought to retain the video from becoming be revealed until a judge ordered persuade against be released. It led resemble a shake-up in Chicago edge, including the resignation of then-Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, variety well as then-Cook County Official Anita Alvarez being voted masquerade of office.

Emanuel, who critics accused of a cover-up, proclaimed a day before the fit began that he would bawl seek re-election in February.

Van Furrow has pleaded not guilty homily the murder charges. If delinquent, he could face life corner prison.

The jury of eight body of men and four men, includes heptad white jurors, one black juryman, three Hispanic and one Asian.