Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, apologized for police torture that was carried out under disgraced former Commander Jon Burge.
During that era, many African-American men were tortured into making confessions for rapes and murders on the South Side of Chicago.
Emanuel made the surprise apology on Wednesday, reported the Chicago Tribune. He described the tortures as a “dark chapter” in the city’s history.
Recently, City Council members approved an additional $12.3 million to settle lawsuits, which were brought about by two African-American men who were convicted after they were tortured by detectives working for Burge.
“So yes, there has been a settlement, and I do believe this is a way of saying all of us are sorry about what happened here in the city, and closing that period of time, that stain on the city’s reputation, its history and now being able to embark on a new part of the city and a new way of actually doing business. And that is not who we are, and we all are one or another obviously sorry,” Emanuel said.
Between 1972 and 1991, Burge’s officers tortured more than 200 people to force confessions.
He added, “Here’s what I mean: I am sorry this happened. Let us all now move on.”
Emanuel said that Chicago residents “have to close the book on this,” adding that “we have to reconcile our past. . . . Yes, there has been a settlement. And I do believe that this is a way of saying all of us are sorry about what happened…and closing that stain on the city’s reputation . . . . That is not who we are,” reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
The city has spent around $85 million on Burge-era settlements.
