Ex-Chicago cop convicted of lying about torture

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7pWRg8cyljtW3KoXP7VmlA98G2AD9GKHHU00

By KAREN HAWKINS (AP) – 12 minutes ago

CHICAGO — A decorated former Chicago police lieutenant accused of suffocating, shocking and beating confessions out of scores of suspects was convicted Monday of federal perjury and obstruction of justice charges for lying about torture.

Jurors deliberated for parts of three days before finding former Lt. Jon Burge guilty. Burge, who did not react as the verdict was read, can remain free on bond until his Nov. 5 sentencing, when he faces up to 45 years in prison. Attorney Flint Taylor, who represented some of the torture victims, hugged people around him.

Burge's name has become synonymous with police brutality and abuse of power in the country's third-largest city. For decades, dozens of suspects — almost all of them black men — claimed Burge and his officers tortured them into confessing to crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said "a message needs to go out that that conduct is unacceptable" and asked others who feel they have evidence of torture to come forward.

"It's a measure of justice; it's not a perfect sense of justice," Fitzgerald said of the verdict.

He also said "it's sad that it took until 2010 for that to be proven in a court of law."

[frazzled]

1. I hope he gets all 45 years

The culture of torture that existed under his watch for many years is a stain on our system of justice.

Oh, and you can thank Barack Obama for singlehandedly getting a law passed that required interrogations and confessions to be taped in Illinois. That was the incident in which he got even the police and Republicans to come to the table and agree to put an end to this despicable system.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. Stick him in general population.

[Raineyb]

3. Good! I hope they throw the book at his ass. n/t

[classysassy]

4. Who's next?

Where is Dick and Dubya?

[EFerrari]

5. Finally.

K&R

[librechik]

6. Fitz! Now you can go after Cheney!

as if...