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Chicago's Abu Ghraib: UN Committee Against Torture Hears
Report on How Police Tortured Over 135 African-American Men
Inside Chicago Jails
LA Times Baghdad Bureau Chief: "[More People] Are Dying
Violently Now Than At Any Time Since The U.S.-Led Invasion"
Ken Silverstein on CIA Chief Porter Goss’ Abrupt Resignation
& The Duke Cunningham Bribery Scandal
Chicago's Abu Ghraib: UN Committee Against Torture
Hears Report on How Police Tortured Over 135 African-American
Men Inside Chicago Jails
For nearly two decades a part of the city’s jails
known as Area 2 was the epicenter for what has been described
as the systematic torture of dozens of African-American males
by Chicago police officers. In total, more than 135 people
say they were subjected to abuse including having guns forced
into their mouths, bags places over their heads, and electric
shocks inflicted to their genitals. Four men have been released
from death row after government investigators concluded torture
led to their wrongful convictions. [includes rush
transcript]
Extraordinary rendition. Overseas prisons. Abu Ghraib. Guantanamo
Bay. Practices and places that have become synonymous with
the abuse of detainees in US custody are getting renewed attention
at the United Nations this week, where the UN Committee Against
Torture is holding hearings on U.S. compliance with its international
obligations. But there is one name expected to arise this
week that few people in this country will have heard about
– and it’s the one that’s closest to home.
It’s called Area 2. And for nearly two decades beginning
in 1971, it was the epicenter for what has been described
as the systematic torture of dozens of African-American males
by Chicago police officers. In total, more than 135 people
say they were subjected to abuse including having guns forced
into their mouths, bags places over their heads, and electric
shocks inflicted to their genitals. Four men have been released
from death row after government investigators concluded torture
led to their wrongful convictions.
Yet the case around Area 2 is nowhere near a resolution --
to date, not one Chicago police officer has been charged with
any crime.
The most prominent officer, former police commander Jon Burge,
was dismissed in the early 1990s. He retired to Florida where
he continues to collect a pension. Today, a special prosecutor
is now in the fourth year of an investigation. Just last week,
a group of Chicago police officers won a court ruling to delay
the release of the prosecutor’s preliminary report.
- David Bates, one of dozens of men to come forward with
allegations of abuse at the hands of the Chicago police.
- Flint Taylor, an attorney with the People’s Law
Office in Chicago, which he helped found in the late 1960s.
He has represented many of the torture victims and was directly
involved in spearheading the special prosecutor’s
investigation.
- John Conroy a journalist and author who has covered the
case for over a decade. He has written several articles
for the Chicago Reader, and is the author of the book "Unspeakable
Acts, Ordinary People: The Dynamics of Torture."
LA Times Baghdad Bureau Chief: "[More People]
Are Dying Violently Now Than At Any Time Since The U.S.-Led
Invasion"
Borzou Daragahi reports from Baghdad on the latest political
developments and the rising violence in Iraq. In the latest
bloodshed out of Iraq, more than 30 people were killed in
separate bombings and shootings Monday, including at least
a dozen men apparently taken to Sunni neighborhoods of Baghdad
and killed execution-style. [includes rush
transcript]
We turn now to Iraq where Prime Minister-designate Nouri
al-Maliki has said he expects to be able to form a national
unity government within the next two days.
Maliki said the cabinet was "90 percent" ready
and that nominations for the key posts in the cabinet have
been submitted by Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups. They included
the ministries of defense, interior, oil, finance and foreign
affairs.
While Maliki did not reveal any names, he said the candidates
for the powerful ministries of interior and defense would
go to figures free of any ties with militias. Shiite militias
have been blamed for hundreds of execution-style killings
across Iraq. Sunni leaders say the Interior ministry is heavily
infiltrated by militiamen who have been complicit in the death
squads.
In the latest bloodshed out of Iraq, more than 30 people
were killed in separate bombings and shootings Monday, including
at least a dozen men apparently taken to Sunni neighborhoods
of Baghdad and killed execution-style.
Meanwhile, two employees of an Iraqi television station were
found shot dead after being abducted by men dressed as police
officers. Over the weekend, 51 bodies were found in the capital.
All of the dead were handcuffed, blindfolded and shot in the
head and abdomen.
We go now to Iraq to speak with Borzou Daragahi. He is the
Baghdad bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times. He joins us
on the line from Baghdad.
- Borzou Daragahi, Baghdad Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles
Times.
Ken Silverstein on CIA Chief Porter Goss’ Abrupt
Resignation & The Duke Cunningham Bribery Scandal
Kyle "Dusty" Foggo – Goss’s top aide
and the CIA’s third highest official -- resigned Monday
as the agency’s Executive Director. Foggo has been under
internal review for his links to the bribery scandal that
sent Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham to jail.
[includes rush
transcript]
We turn now to the continuing fallout over the resignation
of CIA Director Porter Goss. In a widely expected move, Kyle
"Dusty" Foggo – Goss’s top aide and
the CIA’s third highest official -- resigned Monday
as the agency’s Executive Director. Foggo has been under
internal review for his links to the bribery scandal that
sent Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham to jail.
On Monday, the FBI confirmed it was conducting its own investigation
into Foggo’s links to defense contractor Brent Wilkes
who has been accused of bribing Cunningham.
Our guest today has been following this story closely. Ken
Silverstein is the Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine.
A renowned investigative journalist, he’s a former reporter
for the Los Angeles Times. He joins us from our studio in
Washington, DC. Welcome to Democracy Now!
- Ken Silverstein, Washington Editor for Harper’s
Magazine. He has written about the resignation of Porter
Goss on the new blog Washington
Babylon.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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