Burge unit had torture device, ex-cop hints [View All]

A former Area 2 Chicago Police detective said during his time with the department he saw a shocking device he believed was used to torture suspects, and that he heard "loud and unusual noises" coming out of the area's robbery office. snip

The affidavit was taken for four federal civil cases filed by freed Death Row inmates who accuse Area 2 detectives -- led by former Lt. Jon Burge, who worked in the robbery office -- of torture.

"It's the first time an identified cop has come forward from Area 2 to corroborate evidence," of alleged police torture, said Flint Taylor, an attorney representing freed death row inmate Aaron Patterson, who claims he was tortured by Burge. snip

In one case, Anthony Holmes said from prison that Area 2 detectives plugged in an electrical device then wrapped wires around his legs and put a bag over his head. He said in an unsworn statement he could hear the turn of a crank.

"It feel like a thousand needles going through my body. And then after that, it just feel like, you know . . . like something just burning me from the inside," Holmes said. "I shook, I gritted, I hollered. Then I passed out."

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