A big blow to law enforcement came a few months ago when U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald…the dogged “Inspector Javert” of our time who prosecuted Scooter Libby for obstructing Justice in the Valerie Plame case when all along Fitzgerald knew the identity of the leaker… convicted a retired top police commander of “brutality,” a decorated Army veteran, Jon Burge, who earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Army commendation medals for pulling wounded men to safety while under fire.
As a police officer Burge earned 13 commendations, a letter of praise from the Department of Justice and received a number of promotions for gallantry. He secured numberless convictions in the toughest areas of the South Side which led Jesse Jackson, Sr. and a host of critics including Fr. Pfleger to single him out as “target for tonight.” Squid-dominated GOP Gov. George Ryan tried to gain jury favor for his upcoming trial on corruption by commuting 167 criminals on death row (didn’t help: Ryan got sent away for 6 years).
In April, 2000 the Illinois Supreme Court reversed two Burge death row cases based on convicts’ allegations of torture by the police. After being pardoned by Ryan, the formerly convicted murderers filed lawsuits. Although Burge had been protected by statute of limitations, Inspector “Javert” Fitzgerald re-tooled the supposed offenses and charged Burge with two counts of obstruction of justice and perjury. Last June, Burge was convicted on all counts.
When dramatically sobbing on cue, freed gang members and their relatives appeared on TV, sob-sister liberal media viewed them as innocent on all charges: not so. Everyone who has ever covered crime here knows that the notches on their belts certify they are as guilty of countless executions. In fact, to gain respect with their seniors, new gang members must prove their adeptness at murder. It’s called rites of initiation.
Burge’s conviction and Daley’s knee-jerk adherence to the ACLU have demoralized cops who put their lives on the line every single day.
The media, sucker for weeping blacks, covered a story the other day that illustrates. Channel 2 sent Mai Martinez to interview witnesses to the death of a guy who was killed on an El after pulling a gun on a cop. While every black within blocks wept, screamed and sobbed on cue, a factual statement showed that the guy had been guilty of seven arrests. It’s the old con. If blacks tear up, TV news leads. It’s the closest thing they can get to covering “civil rights.”
Blacks and gang members are the same thing to Dear old doddering Roeser.