Chicago, IL. ---- It is great news that former Police Commander Jon Burge was arrested on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. For decades, Burge has not only been accused of torture and misconduct, but he is alleged to have led a group of officers who routinely, brutally forced confessions out of suspects throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Last year, around this same time, I asked the Honorable John Conyers Jr., Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to investigate this matter and hold a hearing if necessary. As recently as last month, I assured Chairman Conyers that I still wanted him to pursue this matter. I have pushed for a federal inquiry into these allegations and I am pleased that Burge has been arrested and that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is making progress.

I am disturbed and troubled by the allegations against Jon Burge and believe that he should have been arrested many years ago, but I am pleased that the wheels of justice are turning. Criminal acts by anyone are unacceptable, but when the accused is one who is charged with upholding the law, these criminal acts are even that much more egregious and horrible.

Burge and police officers serving under him have been accused of torturing more than 200 criminal suspects between 1972 and 1991, in order to force confessions. Some of the people who had confessed to murder and who were convicted were later granted new trials, while others have been either acquitted or pardoned. In 2002, a special prosecutor was assigned to investigate this matter, at a cost of $17 million in taxpayer’s dollars. Despite evidence of torture, it was determined that Burge and Area 2 detectives who worked under him could not be prosecuted because the statue of limitations had expired.

We must not stop until the truth is established and all parties, Burge and those who followed him are brought to justice.

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