In Illinois, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has recused herself from the prosecution of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke for the fatal shooting of African-American teenager Laquan McDonald. McDonald was shot 16 times in October 2014, but it took more than a year for Alvarez to announce murder charges against Officer Van Dyke. Alvarez has requested a special prosecutor in the case. She lost her re-election battle in March following an activist campaign to oust her over her handling of the shooting.