Jon Burge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Burge
Born	Jon Graham Burge (1947-12-20)December 20, 1947 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 19, 2018(2018-09-19) (aged 70) Apollo Beach, Florida, U.S.
Education	University of Missouri (one semester)
Occupation	Police commander
Employer	Chicago Police Department
Known for	Police brutality
Title	Detective Commander
Military career
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army/United States Army Reserve
Years of service	1966–1972
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Ninth Military Police Company of the Ninth Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Bronze Star Purple Heart Army Commendation Medal (two) Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry

Jon Graham Burge (December 20, 1947 – September 19, 2018) was a police officer and commander in the Chicago Police Department. He was found to have been involved in or approved the mistreatment of many people in police custody. This was done to get them to confess to crimes they might not have committed.

Burge was a veteran of the United States Army. He served in South Korea and Vietnam. After returning to the South Side of Chicago, he started his career as a police officer. He rose through the ranks to become a commander. In 1982, after some Chicago police officers were shot, police got confessions that led to two convictions. One person later sued Burge and the city in 1989. They claimed police mistreated them and covered it up. Burge was found not guilty in that case. He was suspended from the Chicago Police Department in 1991 and fired in 1993.

In 2002, a long review found many problems. However, no charges were brought against Burge or his officers. This was because the time limit for charging them had passed. In 2003, Governor George Ryan pardoned four of Burge's victims. These people were on death row and their convictions were based on forced confessions.

In 2008, Patrick Fitzgerald, a U.S. Attorney, charged Burge with lying and blocking justice. These charges were related to his testimony in a 2003 lawsuit. Burge was found guilty on all charges on June 28, 2010. He was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison in 2011. He was released on October 3, 2014.

Jon Burge's Early Life

Jon Burge grew up in the South Deering area of Chicago. He was the younger son of Floyd and Ethel Ruth Burge. His father worked for the phone company. His mother was a fashion writer. Burge went to Luella Elementary School and Bowen High School. He was interested in the school's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC). There, he learned about military drills, weapons, and leadership.

He went to the University of Missouri but left after one semester. This meant he could no longer avoid the military draft. He returned to Chicago in 1966. He worked as a stock clerk at a Jewel supermarket.

Military Service and Training

In June 1966, Burge joined the United States Army Reserve. He served for six years, including two years of active duty. He trained at a military police (MP) school in Georgia. He also received training at Fort Benning, Georgia. There, he learned how to question people. He volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War. Instead, he became an MP trainer. He served as an MP in South Korea. He received five letters of praise from his commanders.

On June 18, 1968, Burge volunteered for duty in Vietnam again. He was assigned to the Ninth Military Police Company. He worked as a sergeant providing security at a base camp called Đồng Tâm. Burge said his military police work involved escorting convoys and providing security. He also supervised security for the main base camp.

During his military service, Burge earned several awards. These included a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He also received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Army Commendation Medals. These were for his bravery in pulling wounded men to safety under fire. Burge said he did not know about or take part in any mistreatment of prisoners in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged from the Army on August 25, 1969, when he was 21 years old.

Burge's Police Career

Burge became a police officer in March 1970 at age 22. He worked on the South Side of Chicago. During his 20 years of service, he received 13 commendations. He also got a letter of praise from the Department of Justice. In May 1972, he was promoted to detective. He was assigned to the Area 2 Robbery unit.

From 1981 to 1986, he was the commander of the Area 2 Violent Crimes Unit. In 1986, he was promoted to commander of the Bomb and Arson Unit. In 1988, Burge became the detective commander for Area 3.

Lawsuits Against Police and the City

In 1989, Andrew Wilson filed a lawsuit against four detectives, including Burge. He also sued a former police superintendent and the City of Chicago. Wilson claimed he was a victim of police mistreatment and a city cover-up.

Andrew Wilson's Lawsuit Outcome

The trial for Wilson's lawsuit started in February 1989. When Burge testified in March 1989, he denied hurting Andrew Wilson. He also denied knowing about any such actions by other officers.

Wilson's lawyers received anonymous letters during the trial. These letters claimed that the Wilson case was part of a larger pattern. They said police mistreated African-American suspects. The letters also claimed Burge approved of this. The judge did not allow the jury to hear this anonymous evidence.

Other officers named in Wilson's lawsuit were found not guilty. However, the jury could not agree on Burge's case. A new trial was ordered for Burge and the City of Chicago. In this second trial, which started in June 1989, Burge was found not guilty. Despite this, the jury in the civil case found that Chicago police officers had a policy of using too much force on black suspects.

Lawsuits by Pardoned Men

After being pardoned by Governor Ryan, some of Burge's accusers who had been on death row filed lawsuits. Madison Hobley, Aaron Patterson, Stanley Howard, and LeRoy Orange all filed lawsuits.

These men sued the City of Chicago, Burge, and other police officers. They also sued Cook County and some current and former prosecutors. In December 2007, a settlement of $19.8 million was reached. This settlement was between the victims and the City of Chicago, Burge, and other former detectives.

Special Investigations into Police Actions

Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was the Cook County State's Attorney during the Burge trials.

The Chicago Police Department looked into Burge's actions. An internal report in 1990, known as the Goldston Report, found that "abuse did occur and that it was systematic." This report was never made public. It listed 50 people who claimed to be victims of mistreatment. It also named detectives involved. The report stated that "command members were aware of the systematic abuse."

In 2002, a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate the claims against Burge. This investigation looked into allegations going back to 1973. A total of 60 cases were reviewed. Burge and eight other officers refused to answer questions, using their Fifth Amendment right.

On May 19, 2006, a court ruled that the special report on mistreatment accusations had to be released. This was because it was important for the public to know. The Illinois Supreme Court allowed the release of the report on June 20, 2006. The investigation took four years and cost $17 million. It looked at 148 cases. The report found that in three cases, prosecutors could have proven that police mistreatment happened. Five former officers, including Burge, were involved. Half of the claims were believed to be true. However, no charges were brought because the time limit for police abuse cases had passed.

The United Nations Committee Against Torture also expressed concern. They noted the limited investigation and lack of charges regarding the mistreatment in the Chicago Police Department. They urged the U.S. to investigate all such claims.

Burge's Life in Florida

After being fired from the police department, Burge moved to Apollo Beach, Florida. This is a suburb of Tampa. He continued to receive a police pension, as allowed by Illinois law. In 1994, he bought a home there. He also owned a motorboat. While a police officer, Burge had owned a larger boat named The Vigilante. After retiring, he ran a fishing business in Florida. His pension was about 50% of his $60,000 salary.

Changes to Laws After the Cases

Because of the mistreatment by Chicago police, new laws were considered. In 1999, a bill was proposed to require videotaping of interrogations in murder cases. Then-Illinois State Senator Barack Obama helped pass this bill in 2003. It went into effect in 2005. This happened after interrogation rooms were set up and officers were trained.

Many other legal changes were made in 2003. These aimed to improve the use of the death penalty and prevent wrong convictions. The Illinois Supreme Court was given more power to overturn unfair verdicts. Defendants also got more access to evidence. The death penalty was banned in cases based on only one witness. These changes were part of 80 recommendations made by a commission. This commission was formed in 2000 to fix problems with the state's death penalty system.

Burge's Arrest and Conviction

Even though Burge was thought to be protected by the time limit for charges, he was arrested. In October 2008, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald charged Burge with two counts of blocking justice and one count of lying. Burge was arrested on October 21, 2008, at his home in Florida.

Burge said he was not guilty. He was released on a $250,000 bond. Fitzgerald stated that Burge had "lied and impeded court proceedings" during his 2003 written testimony. The charges said Burge knew he was involved in or aware of the mistreatment of people in custody.

Jury selection for Burge's trial began in May 2010. The trial heard its first testimony on May 26. Burge testified in his own defense for six hours. Closing arguments were heard on June 24, and jury discussions began on June 25.

On June 28, Burge was found guilty on all three counts. These were two counts of blocking justice and one count of lying.

On January 21, 2011, Burge was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison. He served most of his sentence in North Carolina. Burge was released from prison on October 3, 2014. He then served the rest of his sentence in a halfway house.

City Costs for Police Misconduct

In April 2014, a group called the Better Government Association reported on the costs of police misconduct. They found that the City of Chicago had spent over $521.3 million in ten years. This money went to lawsuit settlements, judgments, and legal fees for police misconduct cases.

In 2013, the city paid over $83.6 million, which was the most expensive year. The city paid $391.5 million in total for settlements and judgments.

More than a quarter of this money, $110.3 million, was for 24 lawsuits about wrongful convictions. Twelve of these 24 cases involved former Chicago police Commander Jon Burge. His detectives were accused of forcing confessions from mostly black male suspects. Overall, the city paid more than $57 million to people who claimed to be victims of Burge's detectives.

City Reparations for Victims

On April 14, 2015, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a new fund. This $5.5 million fund was for people who could prove they were victims of Burge.

Burge spoke out, saying he found it hard to believe the city would give money to "human vermin." The fund was approved by the Chicago City Council on May 6, 2015.

By approving these reparations, Chicago became the first city government to pay victims of police mistreatment. About 60 living victims could each receive up to $100,000. Living survivors and their families, and the families of deceased victims, would also get help. This included psychological counseling and free tuition to the City Colleges of Chicago. The city also agreed to build a public memorial to the deceased victims. Students in eighth and tenth grades in Chicago Public Schools would also learn about the Burge legacy.

At the Council meeting, Mayor Emanuel officially apologized for the City of Chicago. The aldermen stood and applauded. G. Flint Taylor, a lawyer who helped negotiate the deal, said the non-financial parts of the reparations made it "truly historic." He believed these reparations would be an example for other cities.

Jon Burge's Death

Burge, who never married, died at age 70 on September 19, 2018. He passed away at his home in Apollo Beach, Florida. He had been treated for prostate cancer before his death.

Reverend Jesse Jackson commented on his death. He said: "As a person, may his soul rest in peace. As a policeman, he did a lot of harm to a lot of people ... We pray for his family, because that's the appropriate thing to do."

Burge in Other Media

Jon Burge's story has been told in various forms of media.

• The book Unspeakable Acts, Ordinary People (2001) by John Conroy covers Burge's story. Conroy was a reporter who wrote about the events.
• The 1994 Public Broadcasting Service documentary film, The End of the Nightstick, looked at the claims against Burge.
• The television show Untouchable: Power Corrupts featured an episode about Burge in 2015.
• The television series The Good Fight mentioned Burge in an episode in season 4.