At 10:30 am, Monday, Oct. 15, death row inmate Aaron Patterson faces what could be a pivotal court date. Aaron and his mom, Jo Ann, are calling on anti-police brutality and anti-death penalty activists to meet at 10:30 am on the steps outside the Cook County Courthouse at 26th and California to go into court, and then hold a press conference immediately following the court date.

The Issues:
For years Cook County States Attorney Dick Devine has blocked new trials and evidentiary hearings for the so-called “Death Row 10,” a group of African American men, now 12 in number, who were tortured by Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and his associates. Amnesty International and the city’s own Goldston Report documented police tortures of suspects by electro-shock of the genitals and other extremities, suffocation and Russian roulette. Burge was fired by the city, for torture, in 1993.

The front page story of this weekend’s Reader recounts how Dick Devine offered Aaron and other death row inmates a “deal” of reduced sentences if they agreed to drop their claims of police torture and confessed to the crimes they were convicted of. At risk to his own life, Aaron courageously rejected the deal. We have to ask...

What is Dick Devine afraid of?
If he thinks the police are innocent of torture, why does he fear Aaron and others speaking up about it?

If he truly believes Aaron is guilty of cold-blooded murder, why would he contemplate letting him out on the streets?

Dick Devine & Mayor Daley Cover for Police Torture
Devine and Daley are sitting atop a scandal that makes Gov. Ryan’s licenses for bribes scandal look like a tea party.
From 1980 to 1983, Devine was the #2 man to then-States Atty. Richard M. Daley, when 27 African American men were tortured at Area 2 Police Headquarters to extract "confessions" from them. As State's Attorneys, Devine and Daley approved the use of these "confessions" against these black men to get convictions. As a result of the torture and "confessions" 13 were sentenced to death and dozens more received very long prison sentences.

In private practice, Devine and his law firm, with Devine often personally presiding, represented Burge in his termination hearing with the City, fought for Burge's "right" to his police pension, and defended Burge against Andrew Wilson's civil rights suit for the torture inflicted on him. Devine's firm ended up collecting over a $1 million of taxpayers' money for these services. While everyone deserves the right to a lawyer, if Devine were honorable, he would have recused himself from future cases involving Burge.

Please support Aaron Patterson and his mom, Jo Ann
in court tomorrow, Monday, October 15

Meet on the front steps of the 26th & California courthouse,
10:30 am sharp – press conference to follow court date.