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.
