15 convictions linked to corrupt Chicago cop are thrown out

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Don Babwin, Associated Press
 Updated 3:14 pm, Thursday, November 16, 2017

CHICAGO (AP) — One by one, the men told the same story: A Chicago police officer would demand money from them. And if they didn't pay, they would find themselves in handcuffs with drugs stuffed in their pockets.

A Cook County judge on Thursday threw out the felony drug convictions of 15 black men who all say they were locked up for no other reason except that they refused to pay Ronald Watts.
 
It was the largest mass exoneration in memory in Chicago. And even in a city where it has become almost routine for police misconduct to lead to overturned convictions, the courthouse had never seen anything like the order issued in front of more than a dozen men whose lives were changed forever by the former sergeant.

The men described how it was common for blacks in the city's poorest communities to be shaken down.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Prosecutors-to-vacate-convictions-linked-to-12361895.php

[gopiscrap]

1. typical fucking cops

they're all like that

[Stuart G]

2. Yes, cops are bad, but the system in Chicago is corrupt and the cop that...

was doing this sh*t knew it. He also thought that he could get away with it, as he did for a number of years. And yes he did put innocent people in jail. Finally the honest guys got this crook. But if you read the article, he had been at it a long time. Complaints were filed against him, and those complaints were totally ignored. What got to me, was that he strong armed local citizens, threatened them, and forced them to pay or go to jail..
He acted with an arrogance matched only by Trump...

Watts, the cop in question..got 22 months in jail..and..you may not believe this..but a character named Rod Blagojevich, who was governor of Illinois, got 14 years..His story is one of greed and corruption too. But Blago ....yes the people called him, "Blago" did not strong arm anyone in the community..like the cop did. So much corruption in Chicago's history...

Here is an example: The Summerdale police scandal in the early 60s..Cops were taking bribes for certain activities..Well the mayor brought in an expert to clean the police department up..
Don't believe it ...............hit the link below, read the story. Chicago has been corrupt for decades..

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-per-flash-summerdale-0707-20130707-story.html

[The_jackalope]

3. It takes both a corrupt cop AND a corrupt system to have this happen.

The checks and balances are there, but somebody needs to invoke them. If all the people who are responsible for blowing the whistle are dirty, or their superiors are, the whole thing breaks down - and you get innocent people in jail, and Trump for president.

[Stuart G]

4. Yes, you are correct..unfortunately Chicago has been corrupt for as long as anyone can remember.

There are instances of corruption in Chicago going back 150 years. On and off, sometimes a decade or two, of "so called clean government" but it reverts back to the dirt. People pay off to get favors, and even sometimes close to the top. And you said it clearly.."innocent people in jail, Trump for president."

[Igel]

5. I see allegations.

I see pleading for sympathy.

I see extraneous information about others instances and people.

All intended, I suspect, to arouse sympathy for the victims and outrage on the part of the reader.

I don't see what, exactly, the reasoning was for overturning the convictions. That's the story, I'd think. "Convictions are overturned ... And here's why." At that point the fairness, appropriateness, etc., of the decision could be discussed.

Instead, we get,

reviewed the cases.

"In all good conscience we could not let these convictions stand," said Mark Rotert, who heads the unit.

The office's agreement to throw out the sentences was part of a larger effort to regain public trust, he said.

I tend to suspect that most judges wouldn't toss valid convictions if the perps were going to walk free. So are they otherwise punished? Was the evidence shakey? What?