Since the first reports of Chicago police torture
surfaced a quarter
century ago the
list has swelled to
nearly 200 cases
involving dozens of
public employees—and still no one has
been prosecuted.
Now, with the
results of a four-year,
multimillion
dollar investigation
due any day, here’s
a guide by staff reporter John Conroy to the key
figures in the
scandal.
Some of them
may look familiar.
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Three officers are known to
have been granted immunity
from prosecution by the special
prosecutor: MICHAEL HOKE,
Commander PATRICK GARRITY,
and former detective DANIEL
MCWEENY. Garrity is not considered
a regular member of the
Burge gang but does figure
prominently in the case of
Madison Hobley, one of four victims
pardoned by Governor Ryan.
McWeeny appears more regularly,
sometimes as the detective who
comes in after the torture to take
the victim’s confession.
The names of other officers who
have testified before the Burge
grand jury have not been revealed,
but court records list the names of
police officers who participated in
arrests and interrogations. Many
have been deposed in the last few
years in active civil suits and other
proceedings related to the torture
of suspects. Under questioning,
the vast majority took the Fifth.
They’ve likely also been subpoenaed
to appear before the special
prosecutor’s grand jury. The 26
officers and former officers listed
below have either invoked their
Fifth Amendment privileges
when questioned about the torture
or declared their intention to
do so in documents related to
ongoing civil suits. According to
People’s Law Office attorney Flint
Taylor, nine more officers have
taken the Fifth, but their depositions
are under seal.
Former assistant deputy superintendent
Michael Hoke
Former commander Jon Burge
Commander Patrick Garrity (granted
immunity)
Former lieutenant Peter Dignan
Former lieutenant Dennis McGuire
Former sergeant John Byrne
Sergeant Raymond Madigan
Detective Robert Dwyer
Detective Edmund Leracz
Former detective Leonard Bajenski
Former detective Ronald Boffo
Former detective Michael Bosco
Former detective Joseph Danzl
Former detective Joseph DiGiacomo
Former detective David Dioguardi
Former detective Robert Flood
Former detective Fred Hill
Former detective Anthony Katalinic
Former detective James Lotito
Former detective William Marley
Former detective Thomas McKenna
Former detective Raymond McNally
Former detective Daniel McWeeny
(granted immunity)
Former detective John Paladino
Former detective William Pedersen
Former detective James Pienta
An archive of John Conroy’s reporting on the police torture scandal is available at chicagoreader.com/policetorture.
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