Police Who Lie, by Steve Kindred

Police who Lie

By Steve Kindred

     My first exposure to  "Lying in the Justice System" occurred in 1970. Based on completely fabricated applications for warrants to invade my home by Chicago Police Officers, I was arrested four times for sale of narcotics in four months. By a complete fluke my attorney was a prominent criminal lawyer, Jason Bellows, who had recently become outraged by CPD behavior affecting a young family member. 

     I had previously (spring 1967) successfully confronted a senior police officer when he had tried to provoke trouble and arrests with the help of a provocateur at a early morning demonstration at the Chicago draft board. He was in plain clothes and I grabbed him from behind and asked if he was a "cop or a drunk having DT's". The draft office was on skid row.       

     I demanded his badge and name and the crowd simply began to chant his name. He must have been as shocked as I was because his efforts to arrest people ceased.  I had not noticed the officers he had brought with him were part of some kind of elite squad. This must have been an embarrassment to him. It was not to be my last contact with James J. Reardon. At that time he was head of the precinct covering the downtown ward of the Democratic Party.  At the time this was publicly described as under mob control.

     On the Saturday after the King assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, while Chicago was in flames, Reardon came into a demonstration at the Chicago Avenue Armory, walked directly up to me, called me by name and had me beaten (ineffectively) and arrested. When we were arraigned about midnight that night a state's attorney whom I had also offended in 1966 came from the back of the court room shouting that they had me where they wanted me. 

     In the fall of 1968 Reardon was in charge of the police at the "Grant Park" demonstrations during the Democratic Convention. Around this time, Reardon had moved up to Deputy Superintendent, a Department wide position.

     When the arrests of 1970 began, I concluded that Reardon was also a bad boss. One narcotics detective told me specifically how they had committed technical errors in my arrest.  The affidavit for a warrant on another occasion was very detailed with several allegations of drug sale activity.  Fortunately I had been on a car trip to Florida and had gas receipts to prove it. On another occasion a Detective told me, "Anybody Reardon hates like you can't be all bad."  

     Each time a charge was dismissed, the police came back. My lawyer and I concluded Reardon was very serious. A charge of "malicious prosecution" is hard to prove. My lawyer told me I should leave town. I drove back from Los Angeles for my last court hearing.

     I loved Chicago and thought I would spend my life there.  Until 1977 I made only one, very low profile visit to Chicago. In 1977 Reardon was gunned down in a restaurant allegedly stemming from an act of gallantry.  

     When I applied for a job in NY Schools, I was finger printed and learned that these arrests were on file with the National Criminal Justice Information(?) Center.  A friend who was arrested with me has recently had trouble getting a Visa for a European country. Recent changes in the law have made it merely expensive and arduous to get these records cleared. It was previously nearly impossible.

     I believe this practice is widespread in some jurisdictions.  About twenty years ago, former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh reacted with great indignation to a comment by Alan Dershowitz (sp) on the Larry King show that "testilying" by police was commonplace. Thornburg said this was an insult to people who risk their lives to protect us, etc. etc.  If Thornburgh is not a liar, he is a demagogue.