“Chicago’s reparations package was driven by the inadequacy of traditional legal remedies. After decades of litigation, activism, and investigative journalism, the truth about systemic torture of African Americans, including beatings, electrocution, and suffocation, often accompanied by racialized verbal abuse, has been exposed. But there has never been full accountability.”

“timeline of events beginning from the time Jon Burge was first promoted to be a Chicago Police Detective until the time he was eventually convicted in federal court for perjury and obstruction of justice.”

“For the next two decades, using the ever mounting evidence that the torture by Burge’s crew was systemic and profoundly racist, Cannon and his lawyers fought for his freedom; in 2004 Cannon was exonerated, and in 2007 he was released from prison. “

“Momentum is growing for a bill to finally help heal the wounds of years of torture of black men by the Chicago Police Department.”

“A decade after Illinois Governor George Ryan emptied death row and pardoned four innocent men who were tortured by police under Commander Jon Burge, the city of Chicago has not admitted to its collective crimes.”