Mark Clements, exonerated alleged Jon Burge torture victim, speaks out on first day of Burge trial (Videos)

{ May 25, 2010 @ 5:02 pm } · { Criminal Justice, History, News }
{ Tags: Aaron Patterson, Anita Alvarez, Chicago Police Department, Jon Burge, Kathy Chaney, Leroy Orange, Madison Hobley, Mark Clements, Marvin Reeves, Melvin Jones, Richard M. Daley, Stanley Howard }

Mark Clements, an alleged torture victim of former Chicago Police commander Jon Burge, demands Mayor Richard M. Daley ask Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez grant new hearings for 19 alleged torture victims still incarcerated. Daley was the state’s attorney during the alleged torture period. Clements said 85 percent of those convicted happened on Daley’s watch.

The statute of limitations has expired on the alleged torture, however, Burge is currently on trial for perjury and obstruction of justice after he allegedly lied to special prosecutors during an investigation led by the then-Office of Professional Standards. He’s pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face up to 45 years behind bars. Burge’s trial began May 24.

Clements spent 28 years in prison for allegedly killing four people in a fire that was ruled an arson; he was 16 years old. Northwestern University’s Innocence Project helped in his exoneration. He was released in August 2009. He’s currently the executive director of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

A special prosecutor ruled in 2006 he and several detectives under his command tortured at least 110 suspects into confessing to crimes through beatings, electric shock and other heinous methods between 1972 and 1991. Many alleged torture victims were convicted of crimes they alleged they didn’t commit.

Some had convictions overturned and 10 –– Stanley Howard, Madison Hobley, Aaron Patterson, Ronald Kitchen, Leroy Orange, Leonard Kidd, Andrew Maxwell, Frank Bounds, Reginald Mahaffey and Jefferey Mahaffey –– were sentenced to death.

Four of the Death Row 10, Howard, Hobley, Orange and Patterson were pardoned by former Gov. George Ryan in 2003, yet Howard remains in Dixon Correctional Center. They sued the city and split a $20 million settlement. Bounds died under medical conditions and Patterson is serving time in a federal prison.

-Kathy Chaney

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