Ex-police commander accused of torture decries reparations

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CHICAGO (AP) — Disgraced Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge says he finds it hard to believe the city is establishing a fund to compensate alleged victims of torture by him and his officers.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports (http://bit.ly/1G2dQWW ) Burge confirmed he told a blogger he has trouble believing city leaders would even contemplate giving reparations to "human vermin" like the "guilty, vicious criminals" he tried to take off the streets. The Sun-Times said Burge refused to comment beyond confirming his statements.

Chicago's City Council, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's support, this week proposed a $5.5 million "reparations" fund for torture victims.

Burge was never criminally charged, but was convicted in a civil case of lying about torture. He was released from a halfway house in February after serving 4½ years in prison.

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Information from: Chicago Sun-Times, http://chicago.suntimes.com/