born december convicted detective commander gained notoriety criminal suspects order force confessions decorated united_states_army veteran served tours south_korea vietnam continued enlisted soldier served military police returned began career police officer allegations methods command eventually hundreds similar reports resulted decision illinois governor declare death penalty executions illinois clear state death row controversial arrests began february midst series chicago law enforcement officials detective squad commanded people confessed murder later granted new trials acquitted pardoned acquitted police brutality charges trial resulted hung jury suspended fired ruled torture fired support investigate convictions provided evidence special prosecutor began investigating accusations review cost million revealed resulted action statute limitations convictions reversed overturned illinois death row inmates received reductions sentences victims pardoned governor ryan subsequently filed consolidated suit illinois police officers state attorneys million settlement reached december city defendants cases current county prosecutors continue july october arrested charges justice relation civil suit torture allegations april judge postponed trial fourth time convicted counts june sentenced half years federal prison january released october early life raised community area second eldest son floyd floyd blue collar worker norwegian descent aspiring fashion writer mixed western european descent attended showed keen interest school junior reserve officers training corps exposed military drill weapons leadership military history attended dropped semester ended draft returned chicago work stock clerk jewel supermarket chain june enlisted army reserve began years service including years active duty spent weeks military police school georgia received training fort georgia learned interrogation techniques volunteered tour duty vietnam war instead trainer served south_korea gathering letters appreciation superiors june volunteered duty vietnam second time assigned reported division headquarters assigned provide security sergeant division base camp named described military police service time spent escorting convoys providing security forward support bases supervising security divisional central base camp serving tour marshal investigator military service earned purple heart pulling wounded men safety fire claimed knowledge involvement prisoner interrogation brutality torture vietnam discharged army august reporting ongoing legacy torture reporting week magazine asserted probably learned torture vietnam preferred technique use hand generator common technique vietnam hand field widely available police career police officer march age south chicago years service earned letter praise promoted detective assigned area area robbery later promoted field lieutenant monroe street district served commander promoted commander bomb area detective commander turning point according guardian federal prosecutors stated use torture began prominent example occurred february incident streets suspect took police officer weapon shot killed officer partner incident occurred jurisdiction lieutenant commanding officer area fatalities brought total officers including cook county sheriff officers wounded rookie chicago police officer shot killed bus february shot square mile km2 area south month initial interrogation procedures allegedly included shooting pets subjects stationary objects entire days holding guns heads minors operation push black officers outraged president chicago characterized operation sloppy police work matter racism comparing police action southern sheriff leading turned lynch mob jackson complained black community held martial law police mere coincidence enabled capture suspects recent killings identified white shooter linked andrew having committed earlier day killings torture arrested morning february murder police officers end day parts head including face chest second degree thigh burns clear wilson received sufficient injuries sent hospital dozen caused police custody week trial convicted killings given death penalty sentence brother convicted accomplice given life sentence conviction overturned right remain silent properly explained andrew given death sentence case grounds went directly april supreme_court overturned andrew conviction ruling confession october court ruled tried separately brother evidence matters police wanted incorrectly admitted june andrew convicted women favor men opposed jury unable agree eligibility death penalty days following month sentenced life imprisonment seven years original arrest andrew filed civil suit stating beaten plastic bag burned cigarette treated electric shock victim pattern cover suit detectives police superintendent wilson commander oversaw alleged activity jury selection commenced february original woman man jury included african americans latino took stand march denied claims injured questioning denied knowledge activity officers wilson legal team led received anonymous letters trial person claiming officer worked person alleged wilson case larger pattern police torture sanctioned african american suspects district judge permit jury hear evidence gradually charges officers dismissed march cleared wrongdoing march detectives patrick unanimously cleared jury jury verdict judge ordered police outstanding charges conspiracy policy police brutality contributed wilson injuries cleared second week trial began june officers allegedly methods torture left marks accused telephone books suspect heads separate electrical devices detectives accused cattle hand device violet allegedly tucker telephone old style hand telephone generated electricity attached wires suspect face according veteran sergeant method torture common korean war usually results confession denied witnessing telephone torture procedures violet said regularly placed victim exposed guns adapted hair officers command allegedly engaged mock executions putting plastic bags heads cigarette severe point alleged supervised electrical shocking year old boy discovery verdict cleared colleagues found employed policy excessive force suspected killers police officers initial reports torture appeared pages alternative weekly growing momentum effort seek disciplinary action investigation conducted concluded detectives engaged systematic torture type abuse described limited usual beating went areas psychological techniques planned torture turned police brutality excessive force chicago mayoral race campaign issue february democratic primary sought independent citizens review january called investigation police torture chicago mayor chicago showed reluctance follow directive davis raised issue police eventually pressure citizens organizations anti brutality organizations internal investigation resumed filed suit colleagues brutality torture allegation related false confession murder obtained placing plastic bag banks head putting gun mouth acts suspects officers allegedly abused brutality electro shock suit brought attorneys represented previous brutality case suit described incidents black hispanic suspects suit brought banks suit named officers involved abusive handling promoted later service despite fact city chicago settled court banks november internal review division police misconduct acknowledged october request action type request common precursor police dismissal gave counsel days consider report suspended pending separation days starting november set november hearing firing detectives based counts abuse brutality wilson hearing related internal police investigation finding detective physically abused wilson detective patrick stop suspension controversial day period ended officers remained suspended pay sued denied hearing internal report suppressed years revealed police review findings criminal suspects subjected systematic brutality area detective headquarters years commanders knowledge abuses trial alleged victims testified internal hearing concluded march found guilty physically accused murderer years earlier ordered firing police force february detectives patrick given month pay reinstated amounted penalty equal time served detectives initially demoted year later reinstated rank time served demoted attempted ruling overturned suspension subsequent firing upheld internal hearing resulted situation employing lawyers defend appeal wilson new case banks employing lawyers prosecute charges hire outside counsel prosecute detectives internal hearing having spent defend wilson hearing dilemma follow normal practices pay defense police officers wilson granted new hearing 7th ruling based fact officers resulted trial strategy jury details wilson crimes focus suspect right free torture right present claim torture jury hatred abuse related decisions representatives london based called stay execution allegedly tortured confession lawyers death row inmates began special review convictions based evidence extracted colleagues inmates known death row report called report alleged instances police brutality abuse officers struggled issue confessions decades 1990s quietly reopened controversial brutality cases despite extensive investigation actions number police employees sanctioned politicians including representative requested state attorney seek new trials death row allegedly tortured met representatives supporters inmates convinced request stay proceedings inmates supreme_court denied request rush sought pursue federal intervention february journalism professor students uncovered evidence behalf death row students produced statement placed guilt suspect testimony trial obtained witness claimed named police officers threatened harassed intimidated governor ryan halted executions illinois courts found death row inmates convicted ryan promised review cases illinois death row inmates given number cases alleged brutality allegedly inmates offered reduced sentences exchange dropping charges plea agreement reached convicted victim broader offer inmates rejected plea january having lost confidence state system outgoing republican governor death sentences prisoners illinois death row decided grant death row inmates converting death sentences sentences life parole cases reducing sentences addition ryan pardoned death row inmates orange claimed imprisonment unusual proceeding governor took extraordinary step direct pardon release court proceeding time cook county state attorney accused failing act information possessed conduct acknowledged responsibility stopping torture denies knowledge responsible july congressman issued press release calling mayor possibly failure prosecute statute limitations run jackson called investigation determine planned delay allow cases eventually death penalty opponents requested president bill_clinton follow ryan lead halting executions august reversed related death row cases based allegations torture police pardoned governor ryan victims began file lawsuits pardoned inmates file suit followed june suit filed suit november eventually agreed million settlement pardoned inmates result series legislative death penalty reforms ryan successor vetoed state mandated video recording homicide cases barack_obama pushed mandated video recording bill illinois state senate men pardoned ryan sue torture ultimately answers gave deposition lawsuit allowed charged review petitioned review allegations prosecutor lawyer lived florida appointed attorney special prosecutor investigate allegations dating hired assistant lawyers retired fbi agents prior official investigation resulted firing determined evidence abuse occur systematic prosecutor appointed special prosecutor chief attorney office appointed additional special prosecutor total cases ordered reviewed special prosecutor hired state attorney conflict interest stemming tenure law firm defended federal suits judge presided determination need review determine criminal charges appointment special prosecutor written phase investigation officers pleaded fifth amendment september served testify grand jury ongoing criminal investigation police torture town civil lawsuits attorney office pleaded fifth amendment virtually question hour civil case deposition answered questions boat annual pension continues bound court order pay legal fees service midway airport team placed lawyer office dawn eventually police officers granted immunity order investigation years investigation criminal charges filed civil suits filed federal court time total victims involved case investigators disappointment progress caused victims request human rights hour long hearing october session initial ruling release special report torture accusations june release special report took years cost million end cases evaluated investigation revealed cases prosecutors proved reasonable doubt court torture police involving officers including occurred half claims deemed credible statute limitations handed mayor law enforcement officials deposed excluded report credible abuse cases overlooked report focusing doubts actual torture pardoned death row inmates final costs million investigation million hire outside counsel statute limitations argument disappointment argument detailed page section report debates pages continued days explained report public legal theories federal jurisdiction issues day initial ruling release special report 36th session issued conclusions recommendations report united_states document states committee concerned allegations state party law enforcement personnel respect acts torture cruel treatment punishment committee notes limited investigation lack prosecution respect allegations torture areas art state party promptly thoroughly investigate allegations acts torture cruel treatment punishment law enforcement personnel bring perpetrators justice order obligations article convention state party provide committee information ongoing investigations prosecution relating mentioned case attorney special prosecutor appointed judge presiding judge directed investigate appropriate prosecute accusations review cost million revealed resulted action statute limitations death row victims howard filed suit illinois subordinate police detectives current state attorneys assistant state attorneys precise list police officers prosecutors varied somewhat case randomly assigned different district judge parties cases consolidated discovery management magistrate judge settlement million reached december called city defendants consisting detectives state attorney mayor chicago time settlement cases current prosecutors continue july having convicted continues receive police pension entitled illinois state law fired lived florida suburb tampa bought current wood frame home police officer owned foot cabin cruiser named maintained harbor retiring pension ran fishing business florida precise pension matter public record eligible approximately salary torture revelations led actions mandate confessions case chronicled formats mass media book acts ordinary people isbn includes chapters story documentary film produced entitled end analyzed torture charges arrest presumed protected statute limitations attorney october charged counts justice count arrested october home fbi agents charges subject years prison counts years count charges result convicted civil rights lawsuit alleging police electric death threats officers dozens criminal suspects pleaded guilty released bond noted charged lying torture statute limitations applied believed guilty october press conference stated lied court proceedings written testimony indictment prosecution stated understood participant aware events involving abuse torture people custody trial set instead april filed change venue motion trial relation lawsuit filed death row set october april sought new trial respect murders chicago police detectives hearing won right judge expected exercise 5th amendment right florida judge refused grant given likelihood exercise right jury selection began trial potential given page complete attorneys review final jury selection began additional batch potential given trial heard testimony testified defense hours june subsequent days closing arguments heard june jury began june june convicted counts counts justice count january sentenced half years federal prison district judge refused withdraw case federal probation office recommended month sentence prosecutors requested years served sentence low near north_carolina miles northwest projected release date february released prison october plans file federal civil lawsuits memoirs prisoner detail experience undergoing enhanced interrogation hands writing guardian reported settlements lawsuits use torture expenses cost million local chicago publications identified states officers served april mayor chicago announced creation million city fund individuals prove said found hard believe chicago political leadership giving human fund approved approving chicago municipal government approve victims valid claims police torture terms living victims eligible receive living survivors immediate families immediate families deceased torture victims gain access services including psychological counseling free tuition additionally city approved building public memorial deceased victims established requirement students eighth tenth grades attending learn legacy council meeting dozen survivors looked mayor offered official apology behalf stood applauded legal team negotiated deal stated interview non financial truly historic taylor predicted beacon cities world dealing racist police brutality
Jon Burge