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June 16, 2006

Since the first reports of Chicago police torture surfaced a quarter century ago the list has swelled to nearly 200 cases involving dozens of public employees—and still no one has been prosecuted. Now, with the results of a four-year, multimillion dollar investigation due any day, here’s a guide by staff reporter John Conroy to the key figures in the scandal. Some of them may look familiar.

Jon Burge

St. Petersburg Times

THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR'S report on the Chicago police torture scandal is expected to be issued shortly, perhaps in a matter of days. Special prosecutor Edward Egan has uncovered 192 victims (there may well be more) claiming to have been abused by Jon Burge and detectives serving under him from the 1970s into the 1990s, scores of them not identified in any published list. The scale of criminality is immense: hundreds of assaults (most victims were subjected to more than one attack), hundreds of acts of misconduct qualifying as felonies. Some detectives, called to testify in various proceedings, may have committed perjury on five or more occasions in a single case.

And knowledge of the abuse traveled up the ranks: Police superintendents were informed of the torture and knew the identities of some of the torturers. State’s attorneys were informed of the torture, and no one was ever prosecuted. Now that the statute of limitations has run on many if not all of these crimes, state prosecution is unlikely, though victims’ attorneys hold out hope that federal charges are possible.

All of the known victims are black. Some were sent to death row on the basis of tortured confessions and perjured testimony by police, and many are still serving long sentences. All of their confessions are suspect.

Most of the accused police officers are white. Many have been promoted or have retired with pensions. Some of the prosecutors informed of the torture are now judges. One serves on the Illinois Appellate Court. And one is the mayor.

The Reader has reported at length on various aspects of this scandal since 1990, when we were the first to disclose that a torture gang had been operating at the south side’s Area Two headquarters. Here, in an attempt to provide some context in advance of the report’s publication, is a breakdown of officers and officials who have some role in the scandal.

An archive of John Conroy's reporting on the police torture scandal is available at chicagoreader.com/policetorture.

For a printer-friendly copy of the Who's Who, click here.

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Comments

Flag as inappropriate

dom, wood at 5:22 PM on 9/6/2007

So what's new! Beating cons, rape, pedophiles rings, back handers. Their is scandle with any position of power from the top down in government and authorities. These people aren't there for your well being their there for eachother and to make money. Lets be honest, you were stupid if you thought otherwise. Look at lawrence King, drugs, fraud and a pedophile ring right in the heart of American goverment. Can't beleive you wave that flag with such faith.

Flag as inappropriate

Barbara J. Baker at 2:34 PM on 9/18/2007

Please, Please everyone protest for the 200 or so who have come forward and lets write a FEDERAL LAW that police torture is a Federal Crime. President Bush just made a law that torturing a dog is a crime surely Black men & other minorities who have suffer & who continue to suffer from police brutality deserve an even better solution.

I invite you to join N'COBRA to work diligently on this cruel torturing by the supposenly Law Enforcer (police).

Peace Now

Flag as inappropriate

x at 5:14 AM on 10/1/2007

I'm happy to be European!

Flag as inappropriate

Dr. Maat at 10:08 AM on 10/24/2008

I agree with Barbara Baker. But there is a law already on the books in Illinois against verbal, physical abuse and exploitation of seniors and people with disabilities. I am both. My son is a person who is disabled. The OIG would not take a report on the more than 17 police who broke into our home and knocked me fro my wheelchair and no warrant at all. My alderman has done nothing. The police commander does not return calls. And I get all these sympathetic remarks and looks from people when they ask why I am on now 7 weeks bed rest--it was 6. Grady Davis Show and Ernie of International Pro-Life Federation did do shows on the situation on radio and cable (CAN-TV). Several people who are disabled came to support me at police board when I gave testimony. It's a joke. We never received or rather the attorney never received the funds offered and the attorney never called us back or kept her appointments with us or put us on the payment plan as she promised. Ridiculous. Considering that my son and I were recent victims of police misconduct and abuse: June 25, 2008, I would like to see more protection and a real citizen's police board. I am sorry to say that we got no relief from the legal community of civil rights esquires. Lots of promises, non came through. Too bad. My 26 year-old wanted to believe in justice and support of the community.

Flag as inappropriate

Ernestine Standberry at 1:16 PM on 2/21/2009

From 1995 to 1999, because of me calling the Whitehouse Hotline against abortion, I was either in a police lockup or psychiatric hospital ordered by the then first lady, Hillary Clinton, as told to me by the CIA agents who were sent to my home. Additionally, my youngest son, Khallee, was placed in DCFS (abusive foster homes) for 2-1/2 years. The only person here in Chicago who tried to assist me was Marion Stamps who was running for Alderman! We started the Coalition For Victims of DCFS and Ann Clayton, who was a top psychologist for DCFS signed our Petition. I am still to this day, February 21, 2009 trying to get justice for my son and me in re Circuit Court Case 95 JA 2237. I am still considered dangerous to my son to this day in re the lies and courtcase! Mayor Richard M. Daley ignores my complaint and demand for punitive damages. I am a licensed Substitute Teacher, Producer at CAN-TV and Director of the International Prolife Federation but insofar as Chicago Court Case 95 JA 2237 I am an unfit mother. This record must be corrected and my son and I compensated for the years of harrassment by the Clinton Administration! In re Geocities.com/loudproductions60609.

"Hotep" Peace
Ernestine Gwendolyn (Means) Standberry, Roosevelt University Alumni

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