Surprise!!! Chicago police tortured at least 14 people at its off-the-books prison!!! [View all]

[DetlefK]

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/4/11/1513887/-Chicago-Police-lied-about-beating-and-assaulting-prisoners-in-secret-facility#read-more

In March 2015, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) released a statement denying that law enforcement officers used any physical force against detainees and prisoners at Homan Square, the police department's secret interrogation facility. “The allegation that physical violence is a part of interviews with suspects is unequivocally false, it is offensive, and it is not supported by any facts whatsoever,” stated CPD at the time.

They lied.

According to recently acquired documents, Chicago police punched, hit, slapped, Tasered, and beat at least 14 prisoners at Homan Square.

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According to the Chicago Police Department, one detainee, while shackled to a wall at one wrist, somehow managed to acquire a flex-cuff with his other hand from somewhere, somehow managed to put this flex-cuff around his neck with only one hand, and then managed to pull it so tight he lost consciousness from asphyxiation.

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This is unsurprising— the Guardian found that, "In all cases … the reviews found the use of force to be justified, even when the officers did not interview the victims."

Homan Square made headlines last year when it was discovered that law enforcement had detained at least 7,000 people there since 2004. Homan Square is not a jail nor a police station. One attorney described it as "'an intelligence gathering place' akin to a CIA 'black site.'"

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The CPD continues to deny that such abuse occurred. The department has released a statement In response to The Guardian’s newly acquired documents.

“The Chicago Police Department takes allegations of excessive force very seriously. In Chicago, all use-of-force cases require extensive documentation using the tactical response report. These cases are then vigorously investigated by an external, civilian-led agency known as the Chicago Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). We stand behind our initial statement and our unwavering commitment to the highest levels of accountability and professional standards for our officers.”