Evidence Chicago police tortured suspects

By DON BABWIN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 19, 2006

CHICAGO - Special prosecutors investigating allegations that police
tortured nearly 150 black suspects in the 1970s and '80s said
Wednesday they found evidence of abuse, but any crimes are now too
old to prosecute.

In three of the cases, the prosecutors said the evidence was strong
enough to have warranted indictments and convictions.

"It is our judgment that the evidence in those cases would be
sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," Robert D.
Boyle and Edward J. Egan wrote.

The four-year investigation focused on allegations that 148 black men
were tortured in Chicago police interrogation rooms in the 1970s and
'80s. The men claimed detectives under the command of Lt. Jon Burge
beat them, used electric shocks, played mock Russian roulette and
started to smother at least one to elicit confessions.

No one has ever been charged, but Burge was fired after a police
board found he had abused a suspect in custody. His attorney has said
Burge never tortured anyone.

The report released Wednesday also faulted procedures followed by the
Cook County State's Attorney's office and the police department at
the time of the alleged abuse, saying they were "inadequate in some
respects" but had since improved.

Mayor Richard M. Daley was the state's attorney during part of the
period investigated.

Daley's office did not immediately return a call for comment
Wednesday. A police spokeswoman also did not immediately return call
seeking comment.

Boyle and Egan said they found three cases with enough evidence to
seek indictments, including one involving the man whose abuse
allegations led to Burge's firing. The man, who was convicted of
killing two police officers in 1982, claimed Burge and two detectives
beat and tortured him with electric shocks.

"Regrettably, we have concluded that the statute of limitations would
bar any prosecution of any offenses our investigation has disclosed,"
the prosecutors said. The statute of limitations on the allegations
is three years.

They also said they believe there was abuse in other cases but that
the evidence wasn't as strong.

Several people who claimed to have been abused or tortured by Chicago
detectives have filed civil lawsuits against the city and police
department, and the report could bolster their legal claims.

There had also been a legal battle over the release of the report.
The Illinois Supreme Court eventually denied a request from a former
prosecutor, listed in court documents only as "John Doe," to block
portions of the report from being released.

In May, a United Nations anti-torture panel said the Chicago
investigation needs to go farther than it has. The panel said the
United States should ensure that law enforcement officials who
mistreat suspects are punished.