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Ex-Chicago Cop Convicted Of Lying About Torturing Suspects

By Jeralyn, Section Misconduct
Posted on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 05:43:59 PM EST
Tags: Chicago, Jon Bruge, torture (all tags)
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Former Chicago police Commander Jon Bruge has been convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about torturing suspects in jail.

A retired Chicago police commander suspected of using electric shocks, suffocation and mock executions to force suspects to confess was found guilty on Monday of lying about the brutality.

....Five of the dozens of African-American inmates who alleged they were tortured by Burge or his men testified they were subjected to being "bagged" with plastic typewriter covers placed over their faces, had guns stuck in their mouths, were held against hot radiators, or were given painful shocks from a homemade device.

The torture occurred so long ago that he wasn't tried for it. Still, he faces up to 45 years in prison. More details here. Our coverage of Bruge's indictment and the torture allegations is here, here and here.

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    Ex-Chicago Cop Convicted Of Lying About Torturing Suspects | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    Glad they got him on something (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by ruffian on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 08:19:28 PM EST
    that will put him away for awhile.

    He could not have done it without knowledge of others. I hope he is not the only one losing his badge, at the very least.

    I think it is (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by JamesTX on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 10:06:38 PM EST
    especially important to not let this kind of crime slide, regardless of statutes and the changing fortunes of time. The use of torture by police in the U.S. has become an important issue again, and we need to regain the moral high ground. If we have anything the rest of the world doesn't have it is that. If you are arrested in the U.S., you will not be physically abused. You may die in prison, but you will be fed, have medical care, and will most certainly not be tortured. If we can guarantee that, it goes a long way toward holding our position as human rights leaders.

    civil suit? (none / 0) (#2)
    by diogenes on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 09:42:53 PM EST
    The Reuters article refers to civil suits; did the prisoners win them by clear and convincing evidence already?  If Bruge is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt than surely one or more of the tortured folks must have been able to win a civil settlement.
    Burge is his name... (none / 0) (#4)
    by blueaura on Tue Jun 29, 2010 at 05:15:36 PM EST
    It's John Burge.

    The federal judge who presided over the trial of former Chicago  Police Cmdr. Jon Burge increased his bond this morning, a day after his conviction on perjury and obstruction of justice charges for lying about the torture of suspects.

    Even so, there is no guarantee his sentence will include jail time. It's possible he's going to wheel & deal and rat out some others.

    Ex-Chicago Cop Convicted Of Lying About Torturing Suspects | 4 comments (4 topical)

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