Chicago Indymedia : http://chicago.indymedia.org
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City of Chicago GUILTY of Covering Up Criminal Police Violence
$1 Million Verdict in Federal Court
CHICAGO -- On Friday, a ten-person jury found the City of Chicago guilty of systematically covering up criminal violence by its police officers, to the point where officers felt they could commit crimes without fear of arrest or discipline by the department.
CHICAGO -- On Friday, a ten-person jury found the City of Chicago guilty of systematically covering up criminal violence by its police officers, to the point where officers felt they could commit crimes without fear of arrest or discipline by the department.
ew Wilson v. City of Chicago, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 86-C-2360, para. 26, May 15, 1995: "Nine days before plaintiff was abused, defendant Burge electroshocked Melvin Jones on the genitals and thigh with a device in a wooden box and threatened him with a gun, while he was handcuffed....in an attempt to coerce a confession from him...." City's answer: "The city admits the statements contained in para. 26." See also G. Flint Taylor, "Two significant decisions in Chicago torture cases," Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Law Reporter, vol. 5, issue 10, July/August 1997, p. 109.
18 One of those involved in the torture incident, Sgt. Peter Dignan, was promoted to lieutenant in 1995. When questions were raised about Dignan's connection with several allegations of brutality and torture - as established in OPS reports and publicized civil cases against the city - Superintendent Rodriguez told reporters that he was not aware of allegations against Dignan when he made his promotion selections. Charles Nicodemus, "Brutality rap hits merit cop," Chicago Sun-Times, March 18, 1995.
19 Conroy, "Town without pity," Chicago Reader.
20 According to attorney G. Flint Taylor, ten such prisoners remain on death row. A press report placed the number at six. Editorial, "Probe Illinois justice," Chicago Sun-Times, July 16, 1997.
21 Andrew Fegelman, "Cop firing in torture case upheld," Chicago Tribune, February 11, 1994.
22 Perkins, "The bane of brutality," Chicago Tribune.
18 One of those involved in the torture incident, Sgt. Peter Dignan, was promoted to lieutenant in 1995. When questions were raised about Dignan's connection with several allegations of brutality and torture - as established in OPS reports and publicized civil cases against the city - Superintendent Rodriguez told reporters that he was not aware of allegations against Dignan when he made his promotion selections. Charles Nicodemus, "Brutality rap hits merit cop," Chicago Sun-Times, March 18, 1995.
19 Conroy, "Town without pity," Chicago Reader.
20 According to attorney G. Flint Taylor, ten such prisoners remain on death row. A press report placed the number at six. Editorial, "Probe Illinois justice," Chicago Sun-Times, July 16, 1997.
21 Andrew Fegelman, "Cop firing in torture case upheld," Chicago Tribune, February 11, 1994.
22 Perkins, "The bane of brutality," Chicago Tribune.
Fuk Ya by Cloud 10:50am Tue May 6 '03 | comment#25778 |
Comments
This is a great start!
03 May 2003
This is awesome! Finally the cops are being held accountable for their actions.
Let's hope that this is just the beginning of a flood of successful lawsuits and prosecutions of the filthy rotten members of chicago's police department.
Don't forget, this is just one instance where an officer was caught; there are likely hundreds or even thousands of incidents in which victims were unjustly brutalized by corrupt cops, and the perpetrators have gotten away with it. Let's fight not only for the case we know about, but for all the unknown victims as well.
Glad He Won
03 May 2003
keep up the good fight
03 May 2003
of course some chicago cops may not be acting a little meeker like we might expect. I come to realize more and more that it is citizens like the folks that come on Indymedia that are really defending our freedoms, no the Imperial Troopers storming children in Iraq.
This is what it takes
04 May 2003
Lawsuits that expose the racist and thuglike nature of the CPD is exactly what it's going to take to stop racist cops like myself from brutalizing people and getting away with it. Personally, I like to beat up on people while they're in police custody. This is the only way that my fat ass could do such a thing because I'm really a coward at heart. You see, growing up I was a punk and a real asshole and so I had no friends. Becoming a cop allowed me to play the role of tough guy and the killings and torture were my way of getting revenge on all of the people that work to keep whitey down in this whitey controlled, racist capitalist system.
I've been fired from the force since 1994 but luckily, and as further proof of how corrupt the INjustice system REALLY IS, I was rewarded for my years of abuse and repression with a big fat pension; I also own several businesses. Don't worry though, I'll be posting the names and addresses of those businesses in the near future in case anyone wants to come and visit. Stop by and we'll have a pig roast.
In addition to all of the police brutality, cops like me have a long history of dedication to, and fondness for, messing with people's minds and interfering in their personal lives. I encourage everyone to reciprocate that fondness and dedication and begin to show up unanncounced at our doorsteps to protest, hang a banner or whatever. We mess with you in your home, school or place of business so why not bring the fight back home to us as well. Maybe then we'll back off and start acting like human beings instead of racist, abusive, ignorant assholes on a power trip.
Take it from me, a former top cop, there are no good cops out there that are just doing their job. We're not common citizens like you that can be reasoned with and won over to your side. We are extensions of the corporate system and we are your enemy! Racism and brutality are insitutionalized components of the police state system. Anyone who becomes a cop chooses to become an armed mercenary of the capitalist system, one who's job is soley to protect the powers that be and continue to oppress the masses. We'll never change voluntarily, and the number of crusading judges is limited, so it's up to you to do something about it.
Article about me
04 May 2003
Fuk Ya
06 May 2003
Solidarity
07 May 2003
"Ultimate action"
12 May 2003
by Susan Lauritsen
Several activists in the St.Louis area are coming together to see about the possibilities of organizing an action in Chicago to draw numbers from all over the world to make it the largest US action ever. Why you ask--because the actions of our country have made it very clear that the administration has just begun to take "pre-emtive" action. Why Chicago? Financial mecca, centrally located for both the west and east coast and one of the largest cities in the US. We need to know who to collaborate with ESPECIALLY in Chicago to make all of this come together.
While sitting around and discussing the current travesty of our country and searching our souls for what we could do we felt an all out action in Chicago was the way to go. This pre-emtive action is just the beginning and the whole time we are robbing and terrorizing Iraq we are slowly losing the civil liberties of everyone in this country.
We thought Chicago would be the ideal spot to plan this action because of it being a center of commerce, money, wealth and also because of its central location.
Right now we are in the beginning stages of our plan and want to reach out to all activists not only in the USA but also our brothers and sisters around the world to make this happen. Instead of having our own one thousand or 10,000 people in our own cities we felt that our power and message would be difficult to ignore and cast disperssions on if we had a million people in ONE place---Chicago. The rest of the idea would be better discussed on the phone or on particular email exchanges.
We need a buy in from all groups and want ESPECIALLY the support and working relationship with the Chicago groups. We truly feel that a million people is no joke and can build the support from around the world.
WE NEED YOUR HELP AND IDEAS. PLEASE COMMUNICATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND INSIGHTS TO ME THROUGH EMAIL AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY CELL NUMBER.
SUE LAURITSEN (LONG TIME ACTIVIST---REMEMBER VIET NAM, SEABROOK N.H.,)