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FOIA
Documents Reveal Gitmo |
|
By
Stephen Lendman |
| London’s Guardian published information gotten from its
FOIA lawsuit, documented evidence of “how Chicago police used punches,
baton blows and Tasers at (its) off-the-books (Homan Square) interrogation
site” - largely terrorizing Blacks. Last year, it reported twice on the “abuse-laden ‘black site,’ “ much like what goes on at secret CIA torture prisons. Police abuse victims disappear into a nondescript warehouse several miles west of where I live downtown. They’re lawlessly arrested detained, denied access to lawyers up to 24 hours, and tortured during secret interrogations. Detainees are kept off official booking databases. Some young as 15 are painfully shackled for long periods, beaten and terrorized. Rogue cops aren’t punished, nor their superiors. Abusive practices are authorized at the highest levels of city governance - and the same state-sponsored criminality goes on across America, in big and small cities, urban and rural areas. Rarely ever is anything reported despite horrific police state abuses. Documents obtained by London’s Guardian show at least 7,351 mistreated and injured victims, 82% Black males. None fled custody or resisted arrest. Horrific abuses occurred while in custody, at times requiring hospitalization. Some victims explained they “experienced chronic pain or impairment years” after detention, according to the Guardian. One was told “to lie about his strangulation…” Politicians and cops routinely lie. In March 2015, a Chicago Police Department statement called “(t)he allegation (of) physical violence (as part of interrogations) with suspects is unequivocally false.” “It is offensive (and) not supported by any facts whatsoever.” Victim testimonies and FOIA obtained documents prove otherwise. They include hospitalization records and a Tactical Response Report form, revealing use of physical force based on falsified information, claiming detainees posed an “imminent threat of battery” or other phony accusations used to justify the unjustifiable. Chicago is known as the police repression capital of America for good reason. In response to the Guardian’s latest report, a Chicago Police Department statement lied, saying: It “takes allegations of excessive force very seriously. In Chicago, all use-of-force cases require extensive documentation using the tactical response report.” “These cases are then vigorously investigated by an external, civilian-led agency known as the Chicago Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA).” “We stand behind our initial statement and our unwavering commitment to the highest levels of accountability and professional standards for our officers.” Hard evidence “raise(s) questions about the veracity of the police accounts,” said the Guardian. FOIA obtained documents and victim testimonies contradict official reports. Abuse is systematic and widespread, largely affecting Black males, tortured and mistreated in custody without just cause. Police reports claiming justification are manufactured Big Lies. According to one detainee, brutal beatings “le(ft) (him) with a deformed face, lack of vision in (his) left eye and multiple mental health problems that (he) now (has) to be medicated for, including anxiety and depression.” Torture and abuse “changed (his) life,” causing irreparable damage. He’s one of many victims of police brutally - in Chicago and nationwide. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |
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