Saturday, May 06, 2006

Torture, Sen Durbin, and Jon Burge

I was held at gun point once by two Chicago cops for suspected car theft when I was 13 or 14. My buddy's folks were having a New Year's Eve party and someone had given my buddy keys to go warm up their car for them. He decided to take the car for a drive instead.

Neigbors next-store were having a party too and guests included two Chicago cops. For some reason they stepped out to check things and decided my friend had stolen a car.

They had me spread eagle, face down in the snow and said I was on my way to Cook County Jail for car theft. They gave a pretty graphic description of the gang rape that awaited me there.

You don't forget that.

I want to support cops. I like to think these stories were exceptions. But when the Black Caucus demands this, I'm sympathetic. I'd like to read the report too.

The City Council's Black Caucus on Friday demanded the release of a special prosecutor's four-year, $5.7 million report into torture allegations against former Chicago Police Lt. Jon Burge.

"There is still this belief in our community that we allowed black people to be tortured by Chicago Police and did nothing. This belief will be there until we put closure to it," said Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th).

"We want that report released for the same reason Holocaust victims want Nazi soldiers found and prosecuted: to feel there is justice in this world. ... If there are allegations of torture in that report, we want the people prosecuted. ... If there are allegations about any state's attorney, I want their name in the paper so when they try to become a judge, we can say, 'Wait a minute. This is the guy who participated when they were torturing people.' "
Sen. Durbin read from the Taguba Report and said it reminded him of Stalin's Russia or Pol Pot's Cambodia.

I'd like to hear an Alderman read from this report in the City Council and tell us what it reminds him of.

I want to know who tortures in Chicago.

cross posted at Bill Baar's West Side

5 comments:

Cal Skinner 10:12 AM  

I'd like to hear Dick read from the Chicago report on the Senate floor.

That would take real courage.

Yellow Dog Democrat 10:55 AM  

Bill - Thanks for keeping the spotlight focused on this outrage.

Anonymous,  1:01 PM  

It also has nothing to do with the federal government, whereas Abu Ghraib absolutely does. Durbin was right to be outraged on the Senate floor months back and he should NEVER have apologized for what he said. Millions of Americans like myself are sickened to know what is being done in this country's name.

Bill Baar 4:40 PM  

It also has nothing to do with the federal government...

We wrote the civil rights laws to make this crime of Federal interes.

So a City, local or State governments indifferent to torture of African Americans would be called to account....

...and why that idifference is not as great a injustice as the abuse of a suspected Baathist in Iraq is a curious thing.

It is exactly why Police abuse is and should be of Federal interest.

The Feds may be the only defense African Americans have.

Anonymous,  6:42 AM  

Rich Daley was the DA for Cook County when old Jon was running his torture shop. I'd like to see Dick "Chase the poor to the ring suburbs and give me the Olympics" Daley held accountable as well.

Oh and if you ask around with cops who are really really really close to you, you find out Burge was one of MANY who did this. Klein was no Saint either, by the way...

The Chicago Police Department has a lot of scum in it, it is systematic and that system was formed under Daley SR.

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