What survivors of Chicago police torture experienced:

Former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and detectives under his command systematically engaged in acts of torture, physical abuse and coercion of African American men and women at Area 2 and 3 Police Headquarters from 1972 through 1991. The torture included electrically shocking individuals on their genitals, lips and ears with an electric shock box or cattle prod; suffocating individuals with plastic bags; subjecting individuals to mock execution with guns; physical beatings with telephone books and rubber hoses; and other forms of physical and psychological abuse. The torture and coercion were used to extract confessions from the victims, which were subsequently admitted against them in their criminal prosecutions resulting in their wrongful convictions, and, in the case of 11, to Illinois’ notorious death row.

Why reparations are essential:

Scores of Chicago Police Torture survivors continue to suffer from the psychological effects of the torture they endured without any compensation or assistance; most have no legal recourse for any redress.  They cannot sue for any financial compensation because the statute of limitations has expired on their claims of torture.  Their family members also continue to bear the wounds of decades lost away from their loved ones.

Mayor Emanuel recently apologized and acknowledged that the torture in the Burge era was a dark chapter in the history of Chicago, and expressed his desire to move on.  The City cannot move on until it formally acknowledges and apologizes for its role in the police torture and provides the survivors and their family members redress for the suffering they endured.  

The Ordinance serves as a formal apology to the survivors; creates a Commission to administer financial compensation to the survivors; creates a medical and psychological center on the south side of Chicago; provides free enrollment in City Colleges to the survivors; requires Chicago Public schools to teach a history lesson about the cases; requires the City to fund public memorials about the cases; and sets aside $20 million to finance this redress, the same amount of money the City has spent to defend Burge, other detectives and former Mayor Richard M. Daley in the Chicago Police torture cases.

What YOU can do to fight for reparations: 

On October 16th, 2013, Alderman Joe Moreno and Alderman Howard B. Brookins filed an Ordinance in Chicago City Council seeking reparations for the Chicago Police Torture Survivors. Tell Mayor Emanuel and City Council that this ordinance needs to be passed! 

Learn more about the case at: http://chicagotorture.org/articles/ordinance-seeks-reparations-chicago-police-torture-survivors/ and peopleslawoffice.com