Or not, Emanuel is also dealing with the more recent case of Chicago police detective Richard Zuley whose possibly torture-induced convictions are also threatening to come back to haunt the city. Zuley was such a good Chicago torturer (1977-2007), that he went on loan as a Navy reserve lieutenant to Guantanamo where his torture techniques set the bar high for brutality. Zuley, his attorney, and the Chicago police have refused to answer questions from the Guardian.
Police brutality, torture, black sites still not election factor
Emanuel has never shown any inclination to take on the corrupt history of Chicago policing, even as its costs mount for a city in declining financial health. Other public figures, like the media, are also leaving the issue alone. There have been only a few, well-deserved calls for an investigation, especially one by the U.S. Justice Department (which so far has refused any comment).
Even Emanuel's opponent in the April runoff, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, has only promised public comment. How hard can it be to condemn police torture in Chicago? The charges are many and easy to document and have a long history of turning out to be true. Last November, the United Nations Committee Against Torture issued a report on U.S. compliance with torture law that singled out Chicago police violence against young black and Latino people, as well as "excessive use of force" generally used by Chicago police.
Emanuel was expected to win the mayoral election in the first round, outspending his opponents roughly $15 million to $1.3 million. He also had President Obama's endorsement. He won 45% of the low-turnout vote, with 55% preferring someone else (voting for three other candidates). Now the runoff is one-on-one and the polls (which overrated Emanuel in the first round) are showing him with a small lead or in a dead heat. He seems aware of his vulnerability, having released an apologetic ad saying he's sorry he rubs people wrong and should maybe listen more and talk less.
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is three years older than Emanuel (who is 56) and has a longer political career, all of it Illinois, most of it in Chicago. He is a current member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He is an established progressive. He was an ally of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington (1983-1987). Garcia's silence on Chicago police torture is somewhat mystifying, and likely only temporary.
Police: better than mere citizens, above accountability?
In 2012, Mayor Emanuel attempted to expunge a jury verdict that concluded that the Chicago police "code of silence" was a reality. The mayor backed a court motion to vacate the jury verdict and won the support of a woman who had been beaten by a cop, promising to pay her the $850,000 jury award even after the verdict was vacated. Emanuel effectively reached for a code of silence about the "code of silence," hoping to protect future cops against the consequences of their own brutality. A federal judge rejected the ploy.
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