A Real Priest - Father Dan Mallette Viciously Beaten

The prayers of the Leo High School community and those of the Hickey family are with the parishioners of St. Margaret of Scotland. Last night at least two cowardly savages viciously beat and robbed Father Dan Mallette while he slept. It was thoughtful of the savages to do so while this eighty year old priest and boxer was asleep, because he would have taken these lice apart.

A longtime Chicago priest who provided outreach from his South Side Catholic church to try to stem violence and poverty became a victim of violence himself this morning when two men broke into his church and beat and robbed him, authorities said.

The attack happened at about 12:30 a.m. in the rectory of St. Margaret of Scotland Church in the 9800 block of South Throop Street, according to police.

The Rev. Daniel Mallette, pastor emeritus at the 83-year-old Longwood Manor church, suffered broken ribs and a swollen face in the beating, according to Cook County sheriff Tom Dart, a close friend of the priest.

Chicago TribuneLeo Men Pete Doyle and Coach Mike Holmes are with Father as I write this.


My thoughts are ugly and so I will try and limit myself to prayers. Father Mallette has already forgiven them.

Chicago River Bridge Assassin - Dressed to Kill in Chicago's Thug Comfort Zone: Every Girl Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Man!

Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don't know where I am goin' to.
Silk suit,black tie,
I don't need a reason why.
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
Coz' every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man. ZZ Top

The gunman was described as black with a thin build and short Afro, wearing a light blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black shorts. He also may have worn a raincoat. Police said they found a shell casing and a backpack believed to belong to the gunman.

Gary Reidy was eating at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse nearby when he thought he heard a car backfiring but later learned it was gunfire. "You don't expect this kind of thing on a Monday afternoon in downtown Chicago," he said.

Carl Burson Jr., 32, was on his way to a movie. "This is not a war zone, this is downtown Chicago," Burson said. "We don't do that down here."

Chicago Tribune

A brace of points:

1. The mope shooter "was described as black with a thin build and short Afro, wearing a light blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black shorts." Not exactly an Adolph Menjou and certainly hardly a blend-in set of habiliments. Blue Dress Shirt and Black Shorts with a Raincoat?

2. "This us not a war zone, this is downtown Chicago. We don't do that down here."

What do you mean We, Carl? This is and has been a Thug Comfort Zone. Imagine, if a cop had premptively stopped our Beau Brummel with the Nine just short of his victim. The Tribune, reporting on this shooting, would have a full-force editorial war on the individual police officer with Jon Loevy, G. Flint Taylor and Locke Bowman standing ramrod straight like scowling, four-eyed Chinese-triplets in front of ninety microphones and hundreds of notepads bringing suit against the City, the police officer, Brooks Brothers, ZZ Top and GQ for Fashion Racism.



This one man Clown Posse shot and intended to kill, because he can -not could - anywhere, anytime and anyone. Not downtown? Really?

This ain't no movie, Carl.

Urbane Violence - Not Always Organized - My Studs Terkel-ing of Chicago's Gang Meet 'N Greet!

Gee, and people are laughing at a MacArthur Foundation Gang Giveaway Initiative?

Studs Terkel the late Progressive gasbag who made money off of other people's thoughts might do something like this with Frank Main *- the hack police beater for The Sun Times -taking the words of our compelling Urban Translators and Pulp Diction Mayor -

“They said, ‘Stop the violence or we’ll lock you all up,’ ” said Barbee, an Unknown Vice Lords member on parole for a drug conviction.

“They can’t hold me accountable for something other people do,” Barbee said, echoing what Labar “Bro Man” Spann

. . . Share it, Barbee! Be your own Truth!

Reginald Akkeem Berry, who described himself as a former Four Corner Hustlers leader, also blasted the strategy, saying the city would be better off bringing jobs to his neighborhood.

“I will pick a shovel up. I will lay that asphalt down,” said Berry, who was wearing a T-shirt with an SOS logo for his organization, Save Our Sons, which Barbee also was wearing.

To The Tune of John Henry Lay that Shovelful of Asphalt! I can hear Win Stuckey and Pete Seeger Now!
. . .

Wallace Bradley, a former Gangster Disciples enforcer who is now a community activist, said one major problem with the strategy is that gang leaders can’t necessarily control the violence in their neighborhoods.

“Violence in our community is not always organized,” he said. “It’s spontaneous.”

. . . As sponatneous as nickels on a court room floor! Haiku! Gesundheit! Comes out loose.

Not to be out done by our City's Urban Translator - thanks to Peoples Law Office and other Lawsuit Lotto Lawyers Hizoner the Original G!

Daley was asked to respond to the rare news conference held by gang members.

“Unfortunately, everybody complains about the police. Everybody does. Because they’re called on 911 call. Your son got killed. Your son is shot. They visit your home. Something has happened. Domestic violence,” the mayor said at an unrelated news conference at Blackhawk Park, 2318 N. Lavergne.

“Everybody complains about the police. But again, it’s America. You can complain about anything.”

Asked if the Columbus Park news conference should have been covered by the media, Daley added, “That’s your right.” . . . Yes indeed. 'I'm Enery De Ate I Yam! Enery De Ate I Yam I Yam!'


“Violence in our community is not always organized,” he said. “It’s spontaneous.” If you are enjoying Chicago's Ganga Violence and this gang Meet N' Greet that the idiots in the Mayor's Office passed on as a great idea, be sure to Thank the Medill School of Journalism, Peoples Law Office the MacArthur Center for Justice at Northwestern University and especially the deep thinkers and deeper pockets at the MacArthur Foundation - they will not give a dime to inner city Catholic Schools helping black and Hispanic kids, but they will give millions to destory American Life!
Drop them a note at

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Office of Grants Management
140 S. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60603-5285

Phone: (312) 726-8000
Fax: (312) 920-6258
TDD: (312) 920-6285
E-mail: 4answers@macfound.org
www.macfound.org

Spontaneous as Hell!

*

David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, is an adviser for the Chicago program along with two former Chicagoans, Andrew Papachristos, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, and Tracey Meares, deputy dean of the Yale Law School. The MacArthur Foundation is funding it.

Common Sense from a Real Centurion - Chicago Police Officer

From Second City Cop comes this disturbing news -

Word coming in from a couple of sources (e-mails and such) that the lieutenant who wrote the essay "A City at War with Itself : Chicago - Fast Tracking to Anarchy" has himself been served with CR charges for bringing "discredit" to the department.

When the city is burning, when chaos reigns, when the whole thing is falling apart, the route of cowards and quislings is to attack the messenger rather than addressing the message.

Not only that, The City demands that cops write more tickets and that Police Commanders craft lists of 'Bad Cops.' Burying three officers in as many months is not enough? The man who wrote the following essay is a genuine Centurion*.

Please read this fine essay in full and vote accordingly.

A City at War with Itself : Chicago - Fast Tracking to Anarchy
Understanding the Organizational Paralysis of the CPD and the Mission to Recovery
(updated)


Everyone in Chicago knows it. Almost everyone in America knows it. In fact, a lot of people throughout the world know. Chicago is a city at war with itself - fast tracking to anarchy.


Leading us there have been two major root causes - public violence and public corruption. While Chicago has been under attack with its people fearful and hiding, its police department was twisted into paralysis by organizational decimation, incompetent leadership, self-serving politics and corruption.


After three dead cops in less than 60 days, the men and women of the Chicago Police Department are saying, "Enough!!!" We are sickened that our world-class police department has deteriorated into ruin in only a few short years. We are tired of a leaderless department. We are angry at an unsupportive mayor.

We must rise up together to take this city back from the thugs, gangs and rogues that infect our city. The good people of Chicago must also take a stand against the corrupt politicians and their cronies that have bled our city and police department dry.


We must not be stopped. We will not be deterred. We will not be corrupted. Our mission is clear. We must return Chicago to its peaceful, law-abiding citizens. We cannot fail!


Public Violence


Homicides, shootings and gang related crimes are sucking the life out of this city. Daily, people are shot and killed on our streets over conflicts with gangs and drugs. Our children are not immune from the victimization as they too are targets or suffer as collateral damage from stray gunfire.


Most horrific for Chicago is that in less than 60 days, Chicago has lost 3 of its police officers, killed by gunfire as victims of robberies. It seems no one is safe in our city anymore.


Chicago's homicide rate this year currently stands toe-to-toe with the total number of military forces killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq.


Thugs, gangs and renegade groups run the streets and neighborhoods, intimidating and victimizing the decent citizens of this city. They go mostly unchallenged and unchecked by a totally demoralized police force that is dangerously understaffed and still out-gunned on the streets.


Public Corruption


The continued participation in public corruption activities appears to be much more important to Chicago's power elite than addressing the public safety dilemmas of its citizens.


While public corruption has always been a problem in Chicago, it seems to have become more overt than ever. It is amazing how politicians and the "connected ones" can act so openly now and with such impunity.


Political Corruption within the Police Department


A recent example of alleged political corruption ties to top tier leadership in the Chicago Police Department.


While Superintendent Jody Weis recently appointed Lieutenant Anthony Carothers to Commander of the Englewood District, his appointment has been received by the rank & file with utter disdain. They and some city residents call the appointment of Carothers a true lack of ethical consideration by the Superintendent.


Interestingly, the newly appointed Commander Anthony Carothers is the brother of Isaac Carothers, the Chicago Alderman recently convicted on charges of public corruption in Federal Court. Ironically, their father, William Carothers, also served as a Chicago Alderman until his conviction on public corruption charges in 1983.


A simple Google search of Anthony Carothers revealed a Federal Court civil action judgment that was entered against him in 1985. Then a Cook County Deputy Sheriff, Anthony acted in concert with his brother Isaac, in activities of intimidation, physical violence and abuses of authority against Arthur Turner, who was campaigning against their imprisoned father's aide for Alderman.


Clout Rules Supreme


Anthony Carothers has reportedly never been promoted by competitive examination score to the ranks of sergeant or lieutenant in the CPD. Instead, those ranks were given to him as "meritorious appointments." Promotions, along with a career full of prestigious assignments, flowed freely while his brother Isaac served as the powerful chairman of the Chicago City Council Committee on Police and Fire.


Carothers is just one the numerous political aristocracies this city and this police department has been forced to endure. The incompetent political hacks that have been positioned to lead us have only poisoned us as a department. They are an embarrassment to be associated with the many honorable men and women of the Chicago Police Department who serve its citizens daily with dignity and distinction. His story is here only because it is the newest. There are others... many others.


Police Superintendent Within the Circle of Corruption?


Yet, in the first set of command staff changes at CPD after the conviction of Alderman Isaac Carothers, we see the gravy train has not stopped for his brother Anthony.


Superintendent Jody Weis promoted the convicted Alderman's brother to Commander of the Englewood District and then publicly boasted that once again he was promoting the "brightest and best" in the Chicago Police Department?


Does Weis really believe the men and women of the CPD will drink the kool-aid and respect or follow people like Anthony Carothers as their leaders?


What overt message was the Superintendent sending to the members of the Chicago Police Department?


• That public corruption is a good?
• That public corruption is to be accepted?
• That public corruption is to be rewarded?
• That leaders of city government and the police department act corrupt themselves by protecting the interests (taking care of family and friends) of corrupt public officials who have been convicted of VIOLATING THE PUBLIC TRUST ???


"This smells of a thousand hogs", as a Chicago newspaperman once wrote.


Was Jody Weis bought and paid for ($310,000/yr) the Chicago way? One might wonder...


Chicago Police: What Happened to Them?


As the spiral of violence in Chicago has increased, people have been asking when the police will be "turned loose" to do their job and restore the rule of law on the streets in Chicago. Many have been pleading with both the Mayor and Superintendent to open their eyes, wake up and do something... to little avail.


After the homicide of the third Chicago police officer within the past 60 days, a police captain posted on a social media site, " Do you think it's about time we take the kid gloves off?", inferring the lack of administrative leadership and fortitude in addressing Chicago's violent crime problems. Yes, the time to take off the kid gloves is well past "long overdue." Perhaps the police should have never put them on in the first place?


A lot has changed over the past several years. The Chicago Police Department is no longer that world class law enforcement agency it once was. In a few short years it has deteriorated into a totally demoralized, understaffed police department that criminals no longer fear.


Paralysis within the Police Department


Contributing factors that have led to the paralysis of the CPD:


• Decimation of existing top-tier leadership by incoming Superintendent
• Lack of leadership / Administrative incompetence
• Overt political corruption within the ranks
• Reductions in field strength levels that have left personnel in dangerous working conditions
• Reductions in field strength levels that have severely limited police effectiveness at protecting life and property or maintaining order on Chicago streets.


Based on the above and other contributing factors, the rank and file of the Chicago Police Department do not have confidence in their leadership. They perceive a number of current "bosses" as incompetent, politically corrupt, or both - beginning with the mayor and police superintendent.


Let's look at some of the conditions of CPD's organizational paralysis...


Fatal Flaws: Lost From the Beginning


When incoming Superintendent Jody Weis arrived on the scene in Chicago, the CPD was already suffering from very low morale, most notably from the Special Operations Section (SOS) and Abatte scandals that were highlighted repeatedly in the mass media. The hard working and honest police officers of this city were being unfairly painted with the broad brush of these two issues. With public perception of the CPD at a very low point, it made the job of serving as a Chicago police officer even harder.

Weis, a career FBI agent, never had experience as a police officer or in managing a local law enforcement agency - let alone the #2 police department in the United States. His earliest decisions and actions would mark his tenure as an unrecoverable failure.

Weis's first fatal flaw as Superintendent was to flex his muscles in a misguided demonstration of "Federal oversight" of the CPD in what has become "The Cozzi Incident." Without going into the well known details here, Weis facilitated a Federal prosecution of a police officer AFTER the officer already had been prosecuted at the State level and received severe administrative discipline from the CPD. Many believed that Cozzi had already been punished, both legally and administratively for his misconduct. Many also believed that while Cozzi's conduct in the incident was not acceptable, it did not rise to the level that warranted an additional Federal prosecution, as was the case with the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles. This single action by Weis was viewed by the rank & file of the department as excessive and draconian. The result was an instant and unrecoverable alienation of Weis from the members of the Chicago Police Department.

Weis's second fatal flaw was to almost immediately decimate the entire top-tier leadership of the department. Instead of working with the existing and experienced senior police managers to better understand how the CPD operated and ease organizational change over time (as Bratton had done when arriving as the new Chief at LAPD from NYPD), Weis summarily dismissed this trusted knowledge base and replaced it with inexperienced lower level command staff and some trusted FBI people that he brought in with him. This was a shock to the department's culture and operation that not only proved to be ineffective, it set the CPD into an immediate tail spin, from which it has not recovered.

The third fatal flaw of the Weis superintendency was really no fault of his own. Weis installed a trusted confidant he brought with him from the FBI as his chief of staff. In such a sensitive position, any smart police executive would have done the same. A chief of staff serves as the eyes and ears of the Superintendent, offering him additional insight and assumedly trusted guidance. Mayor Daley was to have none of that and instead forced Weis to remove his guy and install the Mayor's guy (Mike Masters) instead. It became instantly clear to Weis that he was not running the CPD - City Hall was. While there have been previous chiefs of staff at CPD (who were wired directly to City Hall), Masters has been perceived by the department as the "chief political officer" who has created extreme controversy and dissention within the department - most notably by back-dooring his way into obtaining the "sworn" status of a peace officer. While Weis has been forced to accept Masters and publicly states he has a great working relationship with him, the truth is that Masters keeps Weis on a tight leash, as you rarely see one without the other.


Police Officers Fear Reprisals From Performing Their Duties


With the apparent lack of support from the city or their own leadership, many police officers have reduced their proactive performance and now only contribute at minimum levels. When asked, most will freely tell you that they do not want to place themselves, their families and livelihoods at risk from a perceived Machiavellian police superintendent or other incompetent "bosses" that could lead them into legal trouble that would risk their liberty and freedom (jail).


Command Staff - Lost Leadership, Lost Passion, Lost Compensation, Lost Value


Even competent command staff members who have been looking for guidance and overall department direction when running their commands have frequently asked each other, "Who is steering the ship?"


Now, as "insanity relief" more and more command staff members are openly ridiculing what they call the "Weis-Masters Show" (superintendent and his chief of staff).


Command staff members are quickly losing their passion to lead. Being non-unionized management, the mayor has required they take 24 unpaid furlough days in 2010 (up from 12 unpaid days in 2009 and 6 unpaid days in 2008). Rumor is strong that Daley wants them to submit to 52 unpaid furlough days in 2011. They are questioning their de-valued status and consequently, their loyalty to the goals and objectives of the department.


It is an unrealistic expectation for a District Commander (knowing every Captain and Lieutenant working under them is making more money than they are) to remain loyal to the mission or continue to be positive contributors under these conditions. If 2011 brings 52 unpaid furlough days, most Sergeants will be making more than "the boss."


Who would want to assume or maintain a command leadership position under these circumstances?


It breeds more of "who is going to steer the ships?"


The Reduction of Police Staffing and the Corresponding Reduction of Police Effectiveness


Police field strength levels (especially during overnight hours) have long ago sunk to levels of ineffectiveness at maintaining public order in some Chicago neighborhoods. You can forget about proactive police patrols serving as a visible deterrence to crime. There are just not enough police officers on the street anymore.


Police officers, responding to calls, sometimes turn the corner into a hurricane of crap. Some incidents have required assistance from police officers FIVE DISTRICTS away before public order could be restored.


Law Breakers Have No Fear of the Police


As one sergeant working the midnight watch stated, "There are not enough of us out there. We respond to these out-of-control street parties and order the people to disperse. Now they just stare at us, daring us to do something about it. It's just insane out here. I can't wait to retire."


Extreme staffing reductions are not only dangerous for police officers, they further increase tensions on the street when police are required to take law enforcement actions.


Adversely, the thugs and gang bangers know this too and are now more aggressively and violently challenging police authority. This has resulted in an increase of injury-on-duty claims by police officers, which further contributes to the problems of inadequate field strength levels.


Lost Public Confidence in Public Safety = National Guard


Citizens have seen and felt the reduced police presence in their neighborhoods, along with the resulting epidemic rises of violent crime.


Frustrated and scared, they and some Illinois lawmakers have been calling for deployment of the army national guard on the streets of Chicago to help restore order, as the public is losing confidence in the capability of the Chicago Police Department to do so.


While the mayor has so far rejected such a need, weary and understaffed police officers and supervisors, working the midnight watch in many police districts are seeing things differently.


First Watch (Midnights): The Most Understaffed and Dangerous Watch of All


Complaints of inadequate staffing levels of police on the street continue to come from all watches, but most notably the first watch (midnights). They continue to report that there are not enough police officers assigned to effectively address the demands for police service (911 calls), let alone chronic neighborhood disorder incidents like illegal street and house parties.


It is common knowledge throughout the Chicago Police Department that multiple beat cars are routinely "downed" each day throughout the city, as there are no officers to staff the car for the shift . Many other beat cars are rolling in Chicago on the 3rd & 1st watches (afternoons and midnights) with only one officer instead of two, as is the standard staffing policy at night.


Exhausted and understaffed, officers and supervisors on these watches are now saying that if Chicago is not going to hire more police officers, they would welcome the national guard's assistance, especially on midnights.


Where We Stand Now: The Realities of Organizational Leadership at CPD


• We can no longer afford organizational or personal inaction as a consequence of the incompetent and/or politically corrupt "leaders" of our police department or our city.
• We cannot wait for competent, effective leadership to be delivered to us.


We must develop, identify and implement "bottom-up" leadership at every level of the Department. If you can and your superior can't or won't - then just do it. Don't wait any longer for someone else to do it. There just might not be anyone else.


From Paralysis to Productivity - Our Duty to Get There - No Matter What


What is needed at CPD today:


• Competent leaders empowered to lead the willing
• Sufficient field strength to effectively overcome resistance
• Restored trust and confidence in both the Department and city government


Our duty and responsibility today, as police managers and supervisors... and even as police officers... is to work at getting us there.


While dealing with resource scarcity and navigating the political land mines, we must...


• Ensure the display of positive and competent leadership daily, as an example to all, despite the limitations of some of our superiors.
• Continually identify, develop and empower truly competent leaders within the Department, recognizing the value of "informal leaders" of any rank - in every unit. When competent leaders are utilized, the willing shall follow.


These are critical and key first steps to turnaround and success. I cannot over state this enough. The sparks must be ignited NOW in every unit, on every watch, on every team. These new sparks must carefully be nurtured into a flame, grown into a fire, then fanned into a blaze.


Taking the High Road


We must remain focused on the mission and our purpose. We have taken a solumn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. As law enforcers, we operate within the law.


Always the Hard Way - Perseverance


Understanding the reality that no organization is perfect (or ever will be), we still must rise to meet the challenges before us, despite the adversities and risks involved.


Sometimes we will have to work around obstacles (physical, political and organizational) to get the job done. I know this will not be easy. Some days may be better than others. From time to time, expect to encounter resistance, obstruction, or attempts at derailment from the personal or political agendas of others. Don't become discouraged - never give up.


Be vigilant. Stay committed.


The decent, law-abiding people of Chicago are depending on us.


--------------------

*

During the Imperial era centurions gradually rose in seniority in their cohort, commanding centuries with higher precedence, until commanding the senior century and therefore the whole cohort. The very best centurions were then promoted to become centurions in the First Cohort, called Primi Ordines, commanding one of the ten centuries and also taking on a staff role. The most senior centurion of the legion was the Primus Pilus who commanded the first century. All centurions, however senior, had their own allocated century.

The Primus Pilus was so called because his own century was the first file (primus pilus) of the first (rightmost) cohort. Only eight officers in a fully officered legion outranked the Primus Pilus: The legate (legatus legionis), commanding the legion; the senior tribune (tribunus laticlavus), second-in-command of the legion; the Camp Prefect (praefectus castrorum); and the five other tribunes (tribuni angusticlavii) who apparently served as senior staff officers to the legate with a rank roughly equivalent to a modern colonel.

Many[who?] write comparisons between the centurion grades and modern officer ranks. This can lead to many incorrect assumptions. Centurions could be elected, appointed by the Senate, or promoted "from the ranks" for a variety of reasons.[4] Julius Caesar is said to have promoted his centurions for displays of valor. Other historians cite examples of them being the first over the enemies' wall or through the breach. If this case were strictly so, then there would be a lack of centurions in peacetime garrisons, which is where the Roman Army mostly spent its time.[3] Nonetheless, although not directly comparable to modern ranks, the various centurion grades may be loosely compared to modern junior and middle officer grades.[5][6]

Centurions often suffered heavy casualties in battle, generally fighting alongside the legionaries they commanded. They usually led from the front, occupying a position at the front right of the century formation. They led and inspired their men by example. They also sought to display the skill and courage that may have gotten them to their rank in the first place. It is for these reasons that they often suffered a disproportionate number of casualties.

Chicago Sun Times Gets It Right - Chicago is a Thug Comfort Zone

Chicago Sun Times Mark Konkol and Frank Main have presented a nearly perfect picture of Chicago's Homicide horrors - Chicago is a Thug Comfort Zone. This is nearly complete, but missing in this otherwise fine article is Lawsuit Lotto Lawyers who have made targeting police officers and the City of Chicago for litigation. Loevy and Loevy, G. Flint Taylor and the entire anti-Law Enforcement Industry at Northwestern University.

“The certainty of punishment is very, very low in Chicago, and that’s going to embolden people,” said defense attorney Thomas Needham, who was a top legal adviser to former police Supt. Terry Hillard. “It’s going to lead to less fear by the people who are going to consider shooting. That’s very alarming.”

There is the street testimony -

So far, not one accused shooter has been convicted of pulling the trigger during those deadly 59 hours from April 18-20 of that year, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found.

Only one suspected triggerman — a convicted armed robber caught with the AK-47 he allegedly used to blow away his boss — is in jail awaiting trial.

Three other victims said they know who shot them but refused to testify. And after Gamble took the witness stand against the guy who he says shot him, a judge ruled Gamble wasn’t credible because of his criminal record and found the suspect not guilty.

Six murders from that 2008 weekend remain unsolved. And time’s running out to catch the bad guys who shot 29 other people that weekend because there’s a three-year statute of limitations on aggravated batteries with firearms.

Odds are, most of those cases will remain unsolved. The Chicago Police Department’s batting average for catching shooters has fallen to an alarmingly low level.

Well done Chicago Sun Times, especially the always on target Mark Konkol! This is a start.

Loevy and Loevy Against Police Officers - The $eamless Garment

Arthur Loevy congratulates clients.

Jon Loevy started the firm in 1997 after leaving the international law firm Sidley & Austin. Since founding the firm, Jon has been joined in the partnership by his wife, Danielle Loevy; Arthur Loevy, who graduated from the University of Michigan Law School; and Mike Kanovitz, a Cornell Law School graduate who joined the firm after practicing at a class action law firm in Washington, D.C. Today, Jon Loevy and Mr. Kanovitz are widely recognized as among the nation's leading civil rights attorneys because of their accomplishments as trial attorneys, having won multiple jury verdicts of more than $1 million. Since 2008 alone, Mr. Loevy and Mr. Kanovitz have secured jury verdicts of $21 million, $16 million, and victory for a class of more than 100,000 people.

My, my, my!


It might seem odd, but the most successful litigation band of attorneys against police officers and municipalities, Loevy and Loevy had its roots in time when Arthur Loevy, father of Jon Loevy, was out of work as a labor lawyer for the powerful Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and woked for the Police Union that covers Cook County and small municipalities like Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Melrose Park and such. Yet, Loevy and Loevy website makes no mention of Arthur Loevy's work for that Police Union whatsoever. Odd.

Arthur Loevy graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1963, and has been a member of the Illinois bar continuously for more than forty years.

Arthur Loevy began his legal career practicing labor law until 1970 when he became an elected officer of a trade union, the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union ("ACTWU"). Arthur proceeded to serve in various elected capacities for trade unions, including International Executive Vice President of ACTWU, International Secretary-Treasurer of ACTWU, and, most recently International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of Needle-Trades Industrial and Textile Employees (U.N.I.T.E.).

Arthur Loevy has also served as a Director and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Amalgamated Bank of New York (1990-98), the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Trustee of various Taft-Hartley insurance and trust funds for almost twenty years, the President of the Amalgamated Housing Foundation (1974-98), and the President of the Sidney Hillman Health Center in Chicago (1980-98).

Since January 1, 1997, Arthur Loevy has resumed the practice of law on a full-time basis. In 1998, he joined the law firm started by his son, Jon Loevy, and has practiced here ever since.

Bar Admissions:
Illinois
Education:
The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1963;Honors and Awards:
"Spirit of Life", City of Hope

Man of the Year Award, Illinois Council of Latin American Advancement

Man of the Year Award, A. Philip Randolph Institute of both the Chicago and Detroit chapters

Recipient, Norman Thomas Award

Annual Dinner Honoree of the Debs Day Foundation

"National Humanitarian Award"

Histradrut Man of the Year Award

Professional Associations and Memberships:
The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union ("ACTWU")

International Executive of ACTWU
Vice President
International Secretary-Treasurer of ACTWU


International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of Needle-Trades Industrial and Textile Employees


Executive Committee of the Amalgamated Bank of New York, 1990 - 1998
Director and Vice Chairman

Amalgamated Housing Foundation, 1974 - 1998
President

Sidney Hillman Health Center, 1980 - 1998
President

The Secretary and the President are the top of the labor food chain.
Arthur Loevey was groomed, it seems, for a position power with Amalgamated Textile Workers Union ( later UNITE) and held positions of authority in Chicago and New York, as well as with Amalgamated Bank - the savings and lending institution founded by the the union in 1923. Then for some reason, Arthur Loevy was no longer with the union.

In the late 1990's, Arthur Loevy left the Amalgamated Textile Workers Union (UNITE), one of the most powerful, wealthy, and politically influential labor unions in America, under a cloud and was out of work. Mr. Loevy band of attorneys went to work for a Police Union and was paid $85,757.03 through 1999, by the Cook County Police Association ( later Combined Counties Police Association -CCPA). Yet, Loevy and Loevy Website make no mention of Arthur Loevy's work for the Police Union. Odd.

Arthur Loevy's time with policemen has made his son's law firm the most lucrative police suing practice in this industry. Arthur Loevy brought five police officers to his son from suburban police departments bannered under the Police Union by which Arthur Loevy was paid a mere $85,757.03 , by CCPA, during his wilderness years away from The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union.

About that time, young Jon Loevy started suing police Departments when he quit Sidley and Austin and after clerking for Judge Milton Shadur. I believe that he started in Oak Lawn, Illinois when the Village settled out of court and the rest is litigation history. Jon Loevey quickly racked in millions and employed a tight network of politicians, judges, activists, media experts like David Axelrod and Ray Hanania, and police officers to that end. Thus, from Loevy and Loevy's wbesite -

Joseph Regalado: The $28 million jury verdict obtained by Loevy & Loevy in 1999 (in a case tried before Judge Shadur) is the largest police brutality jury verdict in the history of the City, and is believed to be the highest tort verdict against Chicago as well. Mr. Regalado was beaten into a coma by two Chicago Police Officers and ever since, he has been in a "locked in" condition: conscious, yet unable to move or speak

I will be adding more in the days to come.

It is interesting to me that undermining any and all faith in Law Enforcement, while a lucrative practice, is rooted somehow in the American labor movement. A Seamless Garment. Labor Omnia Vincit in so many ways.

Image of Arthur Loevy:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.dailyme.com/assets/2009090400000749.jpg&imgrefurl=http://dailyme.com/gallery/industry-term/city-law.html&usg=__7yX9kwf6P-6Z5IlfXdBtEyUoCYo=&h=343&w=512&sz=38&hl=en&start=1&sig2=8FZvLmFrPcOqrEnCyqUhZA&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Dlymv47Z1J7zpM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3DArthur%2BLoevy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GGIH_enUS268US331%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=DelGTIzBGYyenAeDguXeAw

Homicides Keep Coming - Auburn Gresham Killing Zones

Last week Chicago Tribune's Tracy Schwartz presented some of the homicides in Auburn Gresham neighborhood - the home to Leo High School. I am here nearly every day.

Savages kill because they can - it does not require Emile Zola or Enrico Fermi to figure that out. Guns are used because they are easy to get and the quickest and most effective means of dispatching another human being to the Other Side; however, Savages ( bi-peds void of any moral sense or understanding)will use knives, machettes, planks, the odd piece of scrap metal, or huge chunks of concrete to effect another's demise. Guns mostly are used. Guns kill people in much the same manner that pencils fail examinations.

Savages are parsed by opinion columnists as later day Jean Valjean's or petted as half-wits. Lawyers take up their cause along with editorial boards - if it bleeds it leads!

Ms. Swartz offered a fine report -

Auburn Gresham saw its 2010 homicide toll reach a dozen victims this week, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found.

A 33-year-old man was shot to death Sunday in the 8300 block of South Hermitage Avenue in the Far South Side community area, police said.

All of Auburn Gresham's 12 homicides this year have been fatal shootings, RedEye determined. The victims, 11 males and one female, ranged in age from 15 to 44, RedEye found.

Citywide, fatal shootings were recorded in North Lawndale, Oakland and Washington Heights in the last week, RedEye determined. Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man was fatally stabbed Saturday in South Shore, police said.

Nineteen homicides have been recorded so far this month, RedEye found. Police recorded 58 homicides in July last year, RedEye found.
tswartz@tribune.com
Victims
July 15 – Anthony Cox, a 16 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in Englewood.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 15 – Jeremiah Sterling, a 16 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in West Pullman.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 11 – Jerome Cole, a 33 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in Auburn Gresham.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 10 – Kemanuel Montgomery, a 23 year old black male, caused by a stabbing in South Shore.
> Read more about this homicide.
July 9 – Eric Hughes, a 21 year old black male, caused by a gunshot in Washington Heights.
> Read more about this homicide.

People get slaughtered, lawyers net 30%, papers sell and idiots get re-elected.