A jury is deliberating on the case of former Chicago police commander Jon Burge on torture charges, reports the Chicago Tribune. Burge defense attorney Richard Beuke charged in final arguments yesterday that the accusers met in Cook County Jail and concocted the abuse claims years ago to save their own skins and make money off lawsuits. Federal prosecutors David Weisman and April Perry contended the men weren't incarcerated at the same time and shared nothing in common except for their claims of torture.
"How is it that of all the police officers involved, on all these cases, they all managed to pick that man as the one who abused them," said Perry, pointing to Burge as he sat at the defense table. "He may be well known now, but back then, he was just an ordinary police officer." Prosecutors contended Burge has a financial motive to lie about torture — a lawsuit sought damages from him personally — and called on jurors to end the police code of silence that shielded Burge from justice.
