A list of 18 current inmates in Illinois prisons who have alleged that former Chicago Police Lt. Jon Burge or his officers tortured them into confessions, as compiled by attorneys. Lawyers and advocates say anywhere from 16-24 men who claim to have been tortured by Burge or his officers are currently incarcerated in Illinois. The number is hard to nail down because each of them is represented by different lawyers, if they still have representation at all, and some have either finished their sentences or been released.
—Edward James: Sentenced to 60 years in prison for
the armed robbery of a gas station along with James Lewis; claims police
threatened him with a "horror chamber," beat and choked him in 1979
to get a confession.
—James Lewis: Sentenced to 60 years in prison for
the armed robbery of a gas station along with Edward James; claims an officer
slammed him against a wall and placed a forearm against his throat in 1979 so
that he'd confess.
—Derrick King: Sentenced to death for
robbery-related shooting death at a candy store; claims police beat him with a
baseball bat and with a telephone book on his kneecaps and chest in 1980 to get
a confession.
—Stanley Wrice: Sentenced to 100 years in prison in
the kidnapping, rape and torture of a woman; claims police beat him across the
face, body and groin with a flashlight and piece of rubber in 1982 to get a
confession. The Illinois appeals court has granted him a new evidentiary
hearing, but prosecutors are challenging the move.
—Leonard Hinton: Sentenced to life in prison for
the shooting deaths of three people; claims police beat, suffocated and
electrically shocked him in 1983 to get a confession. The Illinois appeals
court has granted him a new evidentiary hearing, but prosecutors are
challenging the move.
—Reginald Mahaffey: Sentenced to death, along with
his brother, for fatally beating two people during a robbery; claims he was
beaten and threatened with suffocation in 1983 to get a confession.
—Jerry Mahaffey: Sentenced to death, along with his
brother, in fatal beating of two people during a robbery; claims police beat
him and threatened him with suffocation in 1983 to get a confession.
—Leonard Kidd: Sentenced to death, along with his
half-brother Leroy Orange, in fatal stabbing of three adults and a child in a
drug-induced frenzy; also convicted for setting fire to a building in which 10
children died; claims police used electric shock and beat him in 1984 to get a
confession. Orange was pardoned by then-Gov. George Ryan in 2003.
—Vincent Wade: Sentenced to life in prison for the
robbery and murder of an alleged drug dealer; claims officers kneed him in the
groin, punched him in the stomach, hit him with a phone book and flashlight in
1984 to get a confession.
—Franklin Burchette: Sentenced to life in prison
for the beating deaths of his wife's three children; claims police shocked him
with an electrical prod, hit him on the head with a phonebook, beat him and
denied him sleep in 1985 to get a confession.
—Clarence Trotter: Sentenced to life in prison for
murder and sexual assault, along with Michael Tillman; claims he was beaten
with a flashlight and phonebook, suffocated with a typewriter cover and
strangled by police in 1986 so that he'd confess. Tillman was released from
prison last year after prosecutors conceded his confession had been coerced and
that they couldn't prove him guilty without it.
—Grayland Johnson: Sentenced to life for the 1988
murder of a man accused of stealing from drug dealers; claims police hung him
by his handcuffs from a bathroom window, suffocated him with a plastic bag and
hit him in 1988 to get a confession.
—Eric Johnson: Sentenced to life in prison for two
murders; claims police beat and kicked him in 1989 to get a confession.
—Tony Anderson: Sentenced to more than 100 years in
prison for murder, attempted murder and armed robbery; claims police put a gun
to his head, beat him with a night stick and physically abused him for hours in
1990 to get a confession to 13 different crimes.
—Demond Weston: Sentenced to 75 years in prison for
gang-related shooting deaths; claims police beat him with a phonebook, choked
him and threatened him with hanging in 1990 to get a confession.
—Johnny Plummer: Sentenced to life in prison after
being convicted of two separate murders, including one in a candy store; claims
police punched him and hit him with a flashlight in 1991 to get a confession.
—Javan Deloney: Sentenced to life in prison in
connection with gang-related shooting deaths; claims police slapped, elbowed
and hit him in 1991 to get a confession.
—Keith Walker: Sentenced to life in prison after
being convicted of murder; claims he was beaten with a phonebook, verbally
abused and electroshocked in 1991 to get a confession. His attorney says a
judge has granted him a new evidentiary hearing.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
Photo
Caption: This undated photo provided by the Illinois Department of Corrections
shows inmate Derrick King. (AP Photo/Illinois Department of Corrections)
