Freedom of Information Center
Burge Archive In our FOI Center CJP will provide downloadable copies of the relevant Burge Torture Case documents as well as copies of past reports from the last thirty years. Current Federal Criminal Case The People's Law Office response to the Special Independent Prosecutor's Report Internal Chicago Police reports and other documents related to Burge saga. CPD Internal Report into Torture Amnesty International Report into Burge Torture Allegations
Lopez/Dunn Illegal Detention Case Files
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Active FOIAs #1 Agency: Chicago Police Department Topic: M4 Assault Rifles Requested:
Status: Denied
#2 Agency: Chicago Police Department Topic: M4 Assault Rifles Requested:
Status: Denied |
#3 Agency: Chicago Police Department Topic: M4 Assault Rifles Requested:
Status: Denied
Chicago Police Officer Gerald Callahan's Chicago Police Board Hearing Files The files below detail a hearing held by the Chicago Police Board to fire Officer Gerald Callahan. Callahan made the news back in the middle of May for an off duty fight where he is accused of attacking a man. The files below detail the charges that were brought the Superintendent of Police against Callahan in an attempt to fire him back in March of 2006. Below you will find in PDF format copies of the charges against Callahan as well as the decision by the Chicago Police Board. |
FOIA Victory! City Council Committee on Police and Fire Transcripts now open to FOIA. CJP used Illinois's Freedom of Information Act to secure a victory for openness and transparency in government. Prior to CJP's work the Committee used a contractual obligation with a court reporting service to prohibit access to transcripts of Committee Proceedings. CJP fought against this stance and obtained a judgment from the Illinois Attorney General's Office stating that private contractual obligations cannot prohibit access. A copy of the transcript to the Committee's July 24th, 2007 hearing on the Special Prosecutor's Investigation in to torture allegations involving former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge can been now be downloaded: Transcripts - (PDF Format) 230 pages - 67.5 MB CJP filed a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act with the Committee seeking a copy transcripts to the July 24, 2007 hearings. These hearings were in reference to the Special Prosecutors investigation of Jon Burge and the allegations of torture. We are happy to say on Tuesday February 19, 2008 we received our copy of the transcripts in question. We will be posting a copy for all to download in PDF format soon. Please see below for an account of our efforts. The Chicago Justice Project filed a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with the Chicago City Council Committee on Police and Fire. This request (see below for a link) was filed seeking copies of transcripts to hearings the Committee conducted. The Committee directed CJP to an outside court reporting service for CJP to purchase copies of the transcripts. We believe that this is a violation of the Illinois FOIA laws. CJP sought and received a judgment from the Illinois Attorney General's Office supporting its position that the transcripts should be made available through the FOIA. We have appealed the decision by the Committee and are awaiting their latest decision. Below are links to our communication with Committee Chair Isaac Carothers and Terry Mutchler, Public Access Counselor and Assistant Attorney General.
A Report on Chicago's Felony Courts This report was produced by the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice Criminal Justice Project in December of 2007.
Charges against Joseph Miedzianowski and his Partner, 1984. Read and download (PDF) the charges filed against Miedzianowski and his partner John Galligan back in 1984. While the system sought Miedzianowski’s dismissal police officials only suspended him. You can read for yourself the charges and make up your own mind as to whether or not the Chicago Police should have fired Miedzianowski before we was able to this or this.
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CeaseFire Documents associated with blog series. Available here in PDF format are the relevant documents cited in blog series on the Non-violence program Ceasefire. The documents are divided by their origin. Auditor General of Illinois's Audit of Ceasefire's finances. Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Studies Evaluation of Ceasefire.
Jon Burge On Tuesday April 24th a coalition of community groups and lawyers released a report that was a critique of the independent investigation into the 20 years of torture at the hands of Jon Burge and his men. The critique is a very detailed analysis of the report issued by independent counsel Edward Egan and Robert Boyle. The critique details the conflict of interest that was kept secret until after the report was released. In the end Edward Egan nephew was under the command of Jon Burge during the time many of the allegations of torture were said to have occurred. Exhibits filed during recent session of the Cook County Criminal Justice Committee by lawyers representing victims of Jon Burge.Exhibits filed during recent session of the Cook County Criminal Justice Committee by lawyers representing victims of Jon Burge. Area 2 Gun Team Review and download copies of the charges filed against he officers involved in the Jefferson Tap brawl. Also you can review and download copies of the arrest reports for each of the three officers charged. Charges and Arrest Reports for each officer: Sgt. Planey Officer Powers Officer Barnes United States of American vs. Jerome Finnigan Jerome Finnigan was a member of the infamous Special Operations Section of the Chicago Police Department. Finnigan is accused in the complaint of plotting the murder of at least one other Chicago Police Officer. According to the complaint Finnigan is accused of wanting to kill this officer because Finnigan feared this other officer was cooperating with the federal investigation of the unit. Blog entry about Finnigan.
Petition of 28 City of Chicago Alderman for Leave to Intervene and Motion to Obtain Access to Certain Documents Regarding Oversight of the Chicago Police Department This is the motion recently filed and tried in Federal Court in Chicago. This motion was filed by 28 Chicago Alderman seeking to force the City of Chicago to release the list of Chicago Police Officers with 10 or more citizen complaints against them in a five year period. Despite their efforts Judge Lefkow refused to propel the city because she stated she lacked jurisdiction over the matter because the case is presently in the appellate court under appeal. |
Chicago Police Officer William Cozzi's Chicago Police Board Hearing Files The files below detail a hearing in front of the Chicago Police Board for Chicago Police Officer William Cozzi. Cozzi was the officer involved in the now infamous beating of a man cuffed to a wheel chair. Cozzi is seen on video hitting the man with some sort of club 10 times in the head. The Chicago Police Department had moved to fire Cozzi over the beating. As part of those procedures Cozzi was entitled to a hearing in front of the Chicago Police Board. As a result of this hearing the Chicago Police Board overruled the Police Superintendent and altered the judgment against Cozzi from firing to a 2 year suspension. This suspension is due to expire in April 2007. CJP obtained all the publicly available documents in reference to the hearing. They are detailed below in PDF format.
Response to Motion for Discovery Complaint for Administrative Review
Human Rights Network Report A report prepared for the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on the occasion of its review of the: The United State's Of America's Second and Third Periodic Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. OPS Ordinance On may On May 9th Mayor Daley introduced an ordinance that would separate the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) from the Chicago Police Department. OPS is charged with investigating civilian complaints of brutality against Chicago Police Officers. Long has the office been the ire of advocates seeking to reform the way in which the Chicago Police Department handles civilian complaints. OPS has always been under the control of the Superintendent of Police. The latest ordinance does separate the office from the Department but still does nothing to change the language of the current collective bargaining agreement. This agreement is between the City of Chicago and the union representing the Chicago Police officers under the rank of Sergeant, some 8000 plus officers. The agreement spells out in detail what actions the Department and the City can take against officers. This language has not been addressed in the new ordinance introduced by the Mayor. Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Michael Chasen's Deposition about the practice of "round tables" Download in PDF format the 100-page deposition of Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Michael Chasen. This deposition pertains to the practice of holding “round tables” by the Chicago Police Department. Round tables are held after ever time an officer is involved in shooting a civilian. The deposition was taken in September 2005 as a result of a subpoena served on the Chicago Police to produce the individual most experienced with the practice. After reading this deposition or my blog about it you can make up your own mind about the legitimacy of the practice and their predictable results. |