Defense attorneys for Jon Burge, the former Chicago police commander accused of perjuring himself during torture hearings, are due to open their case today in Federal court.
Lawyers for the former lieutenant are expected to call on police officers, assistant Cook County state’s attorneys and other officials that can testify that neither they nor Burge tortured any suspects in order to get a confessions out of them.
Burge pleaded not guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice charges for allegedly lying in a civil lawsuit about taking part in tortures while in he was in command.
Federal prosecutors rested their case Tuesday. Five men who say the former commander tortured them in the 1970’s and 1980’s testified against Burge for the prosecution.
Burge was fired from the police department in 1993 for allegedly abusing a suspect.
