The Dems need to start citing the Chicago police torture cases to make their point

[NNN0LHI]

Every time one of these freak Republicans cite sick fantasy shows like "24" the Dems need to cite reality. Like when we found out that 13 out of 25 death row inmates here in Illinois were factually innocent. Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and his fellow officers were torturing black men into signing confessions for crimes they weren't involved in. Google it if you have some doubt about this.

Some of these men were just weeks away from being executed on our death row here in Illinois for crimes they were innocent of. Think about being just weeks away from being executed for a crime you didn't do.

That is the reason why you don't torture people or take their kids as hostages like Bush did to them. You can no longer tell the bad guys from the good guys. Anyone will admit to anything you want them to admit to when you are torturing them.

These men in Illinois knew if they signed a false confession they were going to be executed. They just wanted the pain to stop. They would have signed anything. So would you or I.

Don

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. I always say torture got Galileo to repudiate his (correct) view of the universe

although some say that he was never actually tortured, but that the threat of torture was enough.

Torture also got women accused of being witches to "confess" to flying to the moon and back so that then they could be conveniently burned at the stake. The fruit of torture is always untrustworthy "confessions" or "repudiations" that should not be held by anyone as evidence of anything - except the sadism and brutality of the torturer.

I think your example is very powerful. I also think the fact that we tried and EXECUTED Japanese for the "water cure" says that we know very well that waterboarding is torture - legal and historical precedent clearly say so. Holder could have given NO OTHER answer when asked if waterboarding is torture.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Northwestern University Students Cracked This Case...

Dare I give props to George Ryan who put a moritorium on the death penalty (still in force) due to these revelations. At the time, the report was that the Chicago Vice Squads who did this torturing weren't alone...there were similar organizations in other cities. The push was on DAs to get convictions...along with the new prison industries that had sprung up around this state and many others...many people were railroaded...especially if you were poor and black.

The question is why does this country need to torture? It's like we're the elephant that gets freaked out by a mouse...to muscle-bound for our own good. Torture is a byproduct of a society based on fear.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. "The push was on DAs to get convictions" =

"Just Politics"

The invasion of Iraq was just politics too except for the oil.

Bush needed answers back in 2003 and early 2004 because his political war wasn't going well at that time.

Saddam was still free.
No WMD's to be found.
No rose petals being thrown, as advertised.

It was making Karl's "War President" look like shit and there was an election right round the corner.

[mucifer]

3. I have always felt very strongly about this. We NEED to acknowledge the torture

that takes place in US prisons and police departments.

BTW when President Obama was a state senator, (I LOVE saying that) he coauthored legislation to videotape confessions at police stations in IL.