Ex-US policeman gets prison for lying about torture

CHICAGO: A former senior Chicago police commander was sentenced to 4.5 years prison for lying about police torture and abuse, the US Justice Department said.

Former Chicago Police Department Commander Jon Burge, 63, had long been accused of torturing murder suspects -- virtually all African-Americans -- to obtain confessions during his long career that ended in 1993.

He is being sent to prison "for lying in a deposition in a civil case about torture and abuse of suspects by Chicago Police Department officers," the Department of Justice said.

In June Burge was convicted on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury for lying in a 2003 civil case.

"In those answers, Burge denied ever using, or being aware of other officers using, any type of improper coercion, physical abuse or torture with suspects who were in custody at Chicago Police Department's Area Two," the statement read. "However, evidence at trial showed that Burge abused multiple victims in Area Two, suffocating them with plastic bags; shocking them with electrical devices; and placing a loaded gun to their heads."


Burge had a 23-year career with the Chicago Police Department, rising to the rank of commander before he was fired over the abuse allegations.