the knife. i yelled i don't know how many times. >> reporter: laquan mcdonald's uncle today delivering a message to the former cop in the voice of his dead nephew. >> why should this person who has ended my life forever be free when i'm dead forever? >> reporter: van dyke's wife also taking the stand pleading for leniency. >> there was no malice, no hatred on that night. it was simply a man doing his job. >> reporter: van dyke, the final person to speak before the judge's decision. >> the last thing i ever wanted to do especially on october 20, 2014, was to shoot laquan mcdonald. >> david, van dyke could face up to 96 years behind bars. the judge, as you heard there, senting him to 81 months. less than seven years. the judge in a case like this has a lot of discretion. so many in this city have been waiting years for this decision. david? >> alex perez tonight. thank you. there is new reporting after