Al Sharpton sets rules for Chicago PD
CHICAGO (AP) - The Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday issued a series of recommendations for reforming the police department as he reiterated his threat to lobby against the city's Olympic bid if the mayor doesn't respond soon.
If he doesn't hear from Mayor Richard Daley before Dec. 29, Sharpton said, he will announce a date when he and people alleging police abuse will leave for an international tour to tell their stories.
"The Olympics can be a point of leverage for people in this city that have not been able to get direct action by the city fathers," said Sharpton, president of the civil rights group National Action Network.
When asked about Sharpton's threats at an unrelated news conference, Daley said, "He can do that; that is part of America."
Sharpton recommended that the U.S. Justice Department take control of the city's police force; that the city reject Daley's choice for police superintendant, J.P. "Jody" Weiss, because of what Sharpton called a lack of community input into his selection; and that the head of the Independent Police Review Authority be prohibited from speaking publicly about misconduct cases until agency investigations are completed.
Chicago beat out several other U.S. cities to become the U.S. Olympic Committee's nominee for the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will pick the host city in 2009.
"The city will do a wonderful job welcoming athletes and guests from around the world," said Darryl Seibel, spokesman for the USOC. "It's not unusual for groups to try to take advantage of the interest and awareness that an Olympic opportunity creates."
Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond and the International Olympic Committee declined to comment Monday.
Chicago's police department has been beset by claims that officers abused their positions.
Four inmates were recently awarded almost $20 million between them to settle lawsuits claiming they had been tortured by a former lieutenant into falsely confessing to crimes. In July, prosecutors accused officers of torturing suspects in the 1980s. And in September, four special operations members were charged with robbery, kidnapping and making false arrests.
The department has also has been embarrassed by other accusations of brutality - some caught on tape, including the alleged beating of a female bartender by an off-duty officer.
If he doesn't hear from Mayor Richard Daley before Dec. 29, Sharpton said, he will announce a date when he and people alleging police abuse will leave for an international tour to tell their stories.
"The Olympics can be a point of leverage for people in this city that have not been able to get direct action by the city fathers," said Sharpton, president of the civil rights group National Action Network.
When asked about Sharpton's threats at an unrelated news conference, Daley said, "He can do that; that is part of America."
Sharpton recommended that the U.S. Justice Department take control of the city's police force; that the city reject Daley's choice for police superintendant, J.P. "Jody" Weiss, because of what Sharpton called a lack of community input into his selection; and that the head of the Independent Police Review Authority be prohibited from speaking publicly about misconduct cases until agency investigations are completed.
Chicago beat out several other U.S. cities to become the U.S. Olympic Committee's nominee for the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will pick the host city in 2009.
"The city will do a wonderful job welcoming athletes and guests from around the world," said Darryl Seibel, spokesman for the USOC. "It's not unusual for groups to try to take advantage of the interest and awareness that an Olympic opportunity creates."
Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond and the International Olympic Committee declined to comment Monday.
Chicago's police department has been beset by claims that officers abused their positions.
Four inmates were recently awarded almost $20 million between them to settle lawsuits claiming they had been tortured by a former lieutenant into falsely confessing to crimes. In July, prosecutors accused officers of torturing suspects in the 1980s. And in September, four special operations members were charged with robbery, kidnapping and making false arrests.
The department has also has been embarrassed by other accusations of brutality - some caught on tape, including the alleged beating of a female bartender by an off-duty officer.
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I hope the REV Al leaves on his international tour...and never comes back[:D] 0 -
And takes Jesse with him! 0 -
Sharpton recommended that the U.S. Justice Department take control of the citys police force.
Shoot. The feds need to take control of the city, county and state government. That is where the corruption is. Daley, stroger, and Blago are the crooks in this modern day organized crime.0 -
Link to Story
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/687196,CST-NWS-burge08.article
Selected quotes from article that made me ill....
Hobley's settlement hinges on an ongoing federal re-investigation into a 1987 fire on the South Side that killed seven people. Hobley was originally convicted of murder and arson in that fire and sent to Death Row but was pardoned in 2003.
In one of the strange twists in Patterson's civil case, a judge allowed Wallace "Gator" Bradley, a former gang enforcer, to sit in court with Patterson's attorney as an "urban translator" to control the volatile defendant. Now Bradley says Patterson's attorney, Frank Avila, owes him $250,000 for his work. Avila and Flint Taylor, Patterson's former lawyer, are fighting over their share of the legal fees.
WTH is an urban translator????[:0]
Is this case REALLY about the torture???? I think it's really about the money...........0
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