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March 17, 2011

Former Chicago Police Commander Begins Prison Term 
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Former Chicago police commander Jon Burge has reported to a North
Carolina prison to begin serving a four-and-a-half year sentence for
obstruction of justice and lying about torturing prisoners into making
confessions. Burge was convicted in June following longtime accusations
of overseeing the systematic torture of more than a hundred
African-American men. His trial was criticized as being too lenient by
focusing not on the torture itself, but for lying about it. As Burge's
sentence begins, one of those prisoners allegedly tortured under his
watch is being released after 25 years behind bars. The prisoner, Eric
Caine, confessed to a murder after what he calls torture by Burge's
officers.



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