Thursday, December 06, 2012

"Code of Silence" Motion

  • Two law professors who focus on police accountability have filed a motion opposing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s move to erase a federal jury’s recent finding that a “code of silence” exists in the Chicago Police Department.

    The professors from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University law schools filed the motion late Tuesday seeking to intervene in the case involving the infamous videotaped beating of a female bartender by an off-duty officer. They want to submit written arguments “addressing the public’s interest in ensuring that the city not be permitted to ‘buy its way out of this judgment.’”


    Lawyer’s for Emanuel’s administration filed a joint motion with former bartender Karolina Obrycka on Monday, asking U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve to set aside the jury’s Nov. 13 verdict in favor of Obrycka. She Öwould be paid the $850,000 award she won in the trial without fear of losing an appeal, and the city has said removing the judgment that a code of silence exists would help them defend against other police misconduct lawsuits.
We're sure their intentions are completely noble and altruistic, right?
  • The law professors, Craig Futterman of the University of Chicago and Locke Bowman of Northwestern, both have brought numerous misconduct cases against the Police Department during their careers. Futterman currently represents clients in a suit related to the department’s defunct Special Operations Section, and has said the code of silence judgment could aid his case.
Oh, it's the cash again.  Nevermind.

Perhaps someone could point out that the supposed "code of silence" always seems to originate at or above the rank of lieutenant and is supported by numerous gold stars?

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32 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...


So the mayor is more interested in defending the city against lawsuits then he is for justice and peoples rights. That's how I read it.

Re-election time can't come soon enough.

12/06/2012 12:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with this lawsuit. Once again the city is shielding the clout babies and covering up the corruption and two tier system of discipline.

Deb Kirby and IAD get a free pass at the taxpayers expense again.

The working, unclouted coper gets screwed again.

12/06/2012 12:53:00 AM  
Anonymous xcop7903 said...

Since the barmaid/plaintiff wants to pretend like the trial never happened, and STILL get her $850 K, maybe she would like to use some of her winnings to reimburse the taxpayers for the "imaginary" trial.

12/06/2012 02:35:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the CPD's biggest cache of losers, misfits and cowards...The Executive Command. And don't forget. we once had the biggest coward of them all at the helm of the CPD...Mr. J-Fled himself. What levels of mediocrity have we sunk? Just shameful.

12/06/2012 02:49:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Perhaps someone could point out that the supposed 'code of silence' always seems to originate at or above the rank of lieutenant and is supported by numerous gold stars?"




perhaps someone just did.

12/06/2012 03:18:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bull - we all know that the code of professional courtesy begins at the street level by beat officers.
DUIs, speeding, traffic offenses, street altercations, battery -- the cop is never at fault.

12/06/2012 04:06:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe these pillars of justice should clean their own house before worrying about the Department. There are more than a few problems at those Universities that need looking in to.

The problem is, there is no payout there. No taxpayer money to fleece. Far too much money lost to those institutions. Time to look in to that.

12/06/2012 04:45:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nobody talks about the code of silence in political corruption though.

12/06/2012 06:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

These piece of shit liberals and attorneys, these were from the same group of northwestern assholes that were bs'ing info and telling their students to lie when it came to attempting to exonerate "innocent" shitheads locked up by us. The scum that exists in America..............oh yeah, greedy assholes too. carry the socialist banner, but money hungry hypocrites when its time to get paid, love these clowns. I would kill for 10 minute in a locked room with each and every one of them.

12/06/2012 08:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bull - we all know that the code of professional courtesy begins at the street level by beat officers.
DUIs, speeding, traffic offenses, street altercations, battery -- the cop is never at fault.

umm, not exactly, look at the headlines sometimes you fucking whiner....

12/06/2012 08:24:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This ruling would have HUGE implications for the SOS lawsuits. JF himself more or less said it existed in his interview that was published in that much adored men's entertainment magazine. The names of Kirby and Tobias come to mind just recalling the article.

12/06/2012 08:26:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From a comment in the Tribune comments section:

"Lee Bielecki
Let me ask a question of the people of the people commenting... if you witness a crime and you refuse to get involved, help the police, refuse to testify to prosecute the criminal, or just lie to ignore your civic duty is that a "Code of Silence". Because that is what Police Officers encounter every day. When a one Police Officer falls to misconduct, the public as seen here paints the whole department with the same brush. I can guarantee.
that the law professors who testify in trials against police have never ridden in a squad car in the rough parts of City of Chicago for one hour, but continue to become so-called experts. This is not TV people, this is the real world. There are places in this City that are ugly and dangerous and the Police are not to blame. There are thousands of Police who get up everyday, who face danger everyday, who stand between you and a part of society that is allowed to thrive, not because of a Police code of silence, but a part of society that chooses to not get involved or just allows crime to continue in their neighborhood. There is an element of citizens that do stand up to crime and that element is call the Chicago Police Department. With the help of citizens that DO get involved, who become the eyes and ears of their neighborhood, a difference can be made. God Bless the Chicago Police Department and first responders everywhere.
Reply · 4 · · 8 hours ago"

12/06/2012 08:29:00 AM  
Blogger Mr. SouthSide said...

Lawyers are such scum.

12/06/2012 08:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am with the Mayor on this one! It is time to put these anti-police, commie law firms out of business. Research the humble beginnings of some of these firms, connect the dots and marvel at their communist connections.

12/06/2012 08:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OT but you media hacks should investigate the Aspira charter schools and their use of taxpayer dollars. I have a brother whose son is in 8th grade and received a letter about an open house being held at the Aspira high school in 014 on California avenue. They are giving $5 per family that attends. Unbelievable! Charter schools are the raging boner in 9.5's pants, but isn't it unsettling that taxpayer money is being used by the school for this purpose? That's only a small part of what I'm sure is a bigger pie of the misusing tax dollars.

12/06/2012 08:42:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Code of Clout more like

12/06/2012 09:02:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let's break the "code of silence" and institutional corruption that exists among lawyers, judges, law schools and politicians.

12/06/2012 09:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The finding should be specific:

"Code Of Silence exists within the Dept. for the politically connected/clout."

12/06/2012 10:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The story is that Abatte is working at McCormick Place. If that is true he really does have some clout. It is not easy getting work there as many of the jobs pay 80-100 grand, riggers, electricians, drapery hangers, fire guards etc. You do not need to have a union A card, just an A permit. It seems that every convicted felon who was a politician or a judge ends up at McCormick Place when they get out ( if they keep their mouth shut). Medrano is working there.

12/06/2012 10:38:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Two law professors who focus on police accountability have filed a motion opposing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s move to erase a federal jury’s recent finding that a “code of silence” exists in the Chicago Police Department."

While you're at it, law professors, oppose the long standing 'code of silence' that exists in your own field.
It's called, 'Lawyer-Client Privilege.'

The difference is, code of silence is an inference, lawyer client privilege is a law.

12/06/2012 12:26:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess the Code of Silence couldn't help a PO, two security guards, and a female assistant principal at Taft High School.

Apparently, all took part in strip search of a male 15-yr old Special Education student last month based on an anonymous tip he was carrying drugs. The search in a 2nd floor bathroom found nothing and featured the student's privates being touched while the female assistant principal looked on.

Taft is the same school where retired PO Topper heads the security, also involved in the search, and he has created a 'Us vs. Them' culture towards the teachers and students.

Check out Yoda's investigative report here:

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/8036993-parents-of-teen-strip-searched-at-school-sue-assistant-principal-police/

12/06/2012 12:36:00 PM  
Anonymous 013th District Copper said...

With the Abbate case, I really have a hard time believing there was a "Code of Silence" and don't believe the city should have been found guilty at the trial.

On the other hand, the upcoming RJ Vanecko trial stinks of "Code of Silence" within the upper ranks and the States Attorneys Office. The whole investigation was purposely mishandled so as not to upset the stuttering prick Daley.

12/06/2012 12:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

06:00 Much like any other profession. You almost never hear of another doctor report another doctor to the medical board or a lawyer report another lawyer to ARDC. However policemen arrest policemen who are accused of crimes all the time. I think street level police do better than other professions in that regard. Culture of silence? Ha! I disagree. Tickets? Blow me

12/06/2012 01:09:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is no code of silence. PERIOD! Some of you are falling right into place, lining up with the hack greedy lawyers and the media sheep who are insinuating that there is some kind of organized effort to continually cover up misbehavior, antics and criminal conduct. Yes, there is some level of coddling of those who are repeatedly getting jammed up for recurring conduct and there; in and of itself lies the problem. Coppers can't even agree where to go for lunch, and now they are able to organize an elaborate scheme, or any number of elaborate schemes to suppress exposure and/or liability? The ignorance of some people is hilarious. Coverup? Code of silence? Seriously? No, you simply have an organization who have replaced the positions of the policy makers with politically clouted people, and that has degraded the quality of service, the level of integrity and the functionality of the entire Department to that of a politician's reelection team. The decisions being made by the heads of this department are strictly politically motivated and are not that of a sound law enforcement agency. Protect me and my office and protect my guy says the politicians. The code of silence runs strictly within the political realm and the stream of corruption that stems from it. It is not the police department, it IS City Hall.

12/06/2012 03:01:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The unclouted should stand together and file a class action suit. Lets start with "merit" promotions .

12/06/2012 04:26:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Parents---Quit sending your children to colleges that teach your children the "Communist Manifesto". We need to start holding these places of higher learning to a better standard. If the enrollment in these liberal institutions drops, they will get the message. Reward the schools that do not preach the liberal doctrine.

12/06/2012 04:35:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

04:06AM.... what are you doing up at that time beating ur meat? What would you assholes do if there were no police and no carry law? you would get out of town faster than A FART IN A FAN FACTORY.There's no "code of silence".........is there?

12/06/2012 04:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

another fucken scumbag lawyer trying to make money off of the citizens of chicago.

12/06/2012 05:38:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. SouthSide said...

Lawyers are such scum.

12/06/2012 08:32:00 AM

Dear Mr. SouthSide,

We resent being classified with lawyers. They are beneath us. Please cease elevating lawyers to our level.

Signed,

Scum of North America Association

12/06/2012 05:54:00 PM  
Anonymous The Daytime Hooker said...

I was a lawyer for several years until recently. I had an epiphany and realized I had to do something productive with my life.

12/06/2012 06:33:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fuck her and her lawer. Code of silence? No shit who doesn't have one, even kids at young age have some kind of code of silence. Fuckin scum lawyers have one. Everyone has one ! Bunch of fuckin babies out the looking for money. This city and state make me sick. Court system sucks, laws suck. I truly believe that reason why this whole system doesn't work is because it was put in place by idiots politicians and not reasonable people with common sense...but this world cannot continue like this forever ..sooner or later shit is going to hit the fan...

12/06/2012 08:12:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Talk about a code of silence, go watch a meeting at city hall. There are more whispers than that dog guy on TV.

12/10/2012 03:32:00 AM  

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