Jon Burge Arrested

From The Chicago Sun-Times:

After decades of accusations, Burge finally faces charges
October 21, 2008
BY NATASHA KORECKI

After decades of accusations of torture, former Chicago police commander Jon Burge finally appeared before a judge to face charges against him.

Dressed in a blue denim short-sleeved shirt and still sporting a shock of thick blond hair, Burge sat quietly in a Tampa federal courthouse, chatting with a court security officer and politely answering questions.

His friend, former Chicago Police Officer Thomas Brady who lives half a mile from Burge, handed his friend glasses he retrieved earlier from Burge’s Apollo Beach stucco home.

Burge put on the glasses, leaned back in his chair and started reading the indictment against him when the judge walked in. The judge asked if he had read the charges against him.

“I just started reading it when you got on the bench, your honor,” Burge answered in a thick Chicago accent.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas B. McCoun III gave him time to read it and explained to him he was charged with crimes “dating back to the city of Chicago police department,” saying the allegations have to do with torture or physical abuse of inmates or detainees.

When I heard the news on the radio this morning, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that the law had finally caught up with that sadist Burge. I'm from Illinois, the state that put 13 INNOCENT MEN ON DEATH ROW.

John Burge, and the false confessions he obtained from TORTURE, was responsible for several of those DEATH ROW SENTENCES.

Those were the ones caught in time.

I have cried tears for those that were not.



Related Articles:

A Good Day For Justice

Faith Restored

Read the indictment

Timeline of Burge Torture Accusations

State's Attorney Report

Judge Faces Torture Claims

Archive of Burge Stories

NYTimes Does A Piece on the Falsely Imprisoned

There are few things that cut me to the core than the thought of someone being falsely imprisoned. Freedom is one of the fundamentals to me, and having it taken away is one thing. Having it taken away and you are innocent is something so hideous, it's hard to put into words. It is the ultimate perversion of anything you might consider ' Justice'. I'm from a state that freed THIRTEEN MEN from DEATH ROW because they were INNOCENT. NOT on some technicality, but because they were INNOCENT. And, what upsets me most is that these men have to fight to get ANY sort of compensation. It's just not right. The Government falsely imprisons someone for YEARS, and then doesn't have to automatically compensate the victim when the truth is finally revealed? That's just injustice piled upon injustice.

The NYTimes did a couple of pieces about this subject today.

In,Vindicated by DNA, but a Lost Man on the Outside, they follow Jeffrey Deskovic, who was released from prison after 16 years in prison. This is a typical story of former falsely imprisoned people. And, reading these stories, it seems like the injustice just keeps on rolling.

In A Long Road Back After Exoneration, and Justice Is Slow to Make Amends, the Times gives and outline sketch of the group of former inmates that they interviewed. Also attached is an interactive feature with a description of all the inmates that they interviewed. You will alternate between rage and heartache reading the stories of these former inmates who literally had their lives stolen from them.