Andrew Nelles/Reuters
Chicago police officers who misrepresent the truth while testifying in court experience little to no punishment, a new report claims. A Chicago Tribune investigation interviewed judges and lawyers in Cook County and found that various officials have long been frustrated with what they call the tarnishing of the criminal-justice system. “It happened in court hearings that involved a $50,000 brick of cocaine and a $30 bag of heroin,” reporters explained. “It happened in gun cases in Cook County court and money-laundering hearings in federal court. It happened with big issues, such as whether the officers had witnessed a crime as it occurred, and with smaller details, such as the direction they were driving on patrol.”
According to the newspaper, many cases tend to come down to a he-said, she-said distinction between officers and suspects, with officers normally receiving the benefit of the doubt and thus able to lie without retribution. In response to the Tribune investigation, the newspaper reports, the state attorney’s office started a review with its Professional Standards Unit to determine whether certain officers committed perjury or were simply mistaken. “We judges sit and listen to this stuff all the time,” said retired Cook County Judge Marcus Salone. “But we don’t do enough about it. That’s a fact.” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the department works with their “judicial and prosecutorial partners” to fire officers “upon confirmation of perjury.” He added, “Police officers take an oath to enforce the law with the highest degree of honesty and integrity and there is simply no tolerance or exemption for anything less.”