- Story #1 -The groups predict the cost of wrongful convictions will rise because 16 civil lawsuits filed by exonerated individuals still need to be settled or go to trial, including some by men who allege torture by officers under a decorated former Chicago police lieutenant.
Former Lt. Jon Burge was convicted last year of federal perjury and obstruction of justice charges for lying about torture. Suspects for decades had alleged that Burge and his officers tortured them into confessing to crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder.
Burge reported to prison in March to begin serving a 4½-year sentence. He was fired from the Chicago Police Department in 1993 over the alleged mistreatment of a suspect, but he never was criminally charged in that case or any involving alleged mistreatment.
- Story #2 - Some of the last words Adelina Najera spoke to her 16-year-old son Freddy were warnings that he shouldn't stay out late with friends.
Just hours later, however, Freddy Najera was one of three teens killed in a Prospect Heights crash that ripped the car in two. A fourth passenger in the car – an 18-year-old man – was hospitalized and is expected to survive, according to police.
As her niece translated from Spanish. Adelina Najera said today that she asked Freddy around 10:30 p.m. not to leave their apartment with his friend, who was over for the night. But after she went to sleep, the teens did leave the apartment and were picked up by the two girls who were also involved in the crash, she said.
Story #2 is about four teens out joyriding in a stolen car at 3:30 AM, wrecking and killing three of them.
We'll give you two guesses about which one the Tribune has the comment section open for, and the first guess doesn't count. Remember, only one story is worth reader input. Colonel McCormick is spinning in his grave.