Lawyers: Chicago Police Practices Worse Than Reported 'Black Site' Abuses

The Guardian newspaper, a British publication, revealed that Chicago police regularly violated civil rights of Chicago residents by detaining suspects without charges and used harsh interrogation practices. The reporter, Spencer Ackerman, even identified what he called a notorious, Gitmo-like “black site” called Homan Square.

Ackerman came across those allegations after reporting on a former Chicago police officer had also worked as an interrogator at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Richard Zuley spent thirty years on the police force and was later exposed to be a “notoriously” brutal detective, using torture and abuse on suspects to get them to confess. Zuley also planted evidence and threatened family members.

However, defense lawyers and even some victims themselves have argued that the Guardian article is actually too limited and even threatens to narrow the scope. They argue that unlawful detentions, harsh interrogations and even corruption is a systemic, city-wide issue and that Homan Square is far from the only location where these violations occur on a “daily” basis. They also note that such abuses have been going on for decades and are well documented in local media.

"Everything that was described was something that happens every day," Richard Dvorak, a veteran criminal defense attorney, told the Chicago Tribune. "I think it's pretty systemic throughout CPD."

Eliza Solowiej, executive director of First Defense Legal Aid which represents indigent clients agreed.

"It's not just this facility. This is a citywide problem," she said.

There were few running to the defense of the CPD after the Guardian articles were published. Those who did respond have mostly argued that the Guardian reporting, if anything, may have obscured how wide the abuse is, giving the city an opportunity to “fix” the issue of Homan Square while leaving the rest of the department unaffected. 

CPD did defend itself however, releasing a statement that, "CPD abides by all laws, rules and guidelines pertaining to any interviews of suspects or witnesses, at Homan Square or any other CPD facility.

“If lawyers have a client detained at Homan Square, just like any other facility, they are allowed to speak to and visit them,” they said in the statement. “It also houses CPD's Evidence Recovered Property Section, where the public is able to claim inventoried property. There are always records of anyone who is arrested by CPD, and this is not any different at Homan Square."

However, even official policy seems to differ from that defense to some degree. The rules spell out that officers can detain a suspect for up to 48 hours before they must be presented to a judge for processing. Often, lawyers say that even that rule is bent. Officers will wait to report someone has been taken into custody by reporting their custody well after they have been taken. 

By delaying the recording of the detention, the suspects are often left without communication with their lawyers or family. That means they are effectively “disappeared,” though not for nearly as long as many Gitmo detainees have disappeared for.

Still, the reportage has brought a viral light on the discussion of the many instances in which the Chicago police have violated civil and human rights.