Slain cops mom says she would have probably tortured a confession out of the suspects herself

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1235087,CST-NWS-moms22.article

Slain cop's mom defends Burge: 'I probably would have done it myself'

BURGE BUSTED | 'I probably would have done it myself'

October 22, 2008

BY ANNIE SWEENEY Crime Reporter/[e-mail]

Laverne O'Brien tried to keep her composure Tuesday about the latest Jon Burge news.

It's a saga she's been caught in since Feb. 9, 1982, when her son, a Chicago cop, was slain by Andrew Wilson at 81st and Morgan. snip

She has family members who don't agree, seeing torture of any suspect as unacceptable. But O'Brien has mixed feelings.

"Those SOBs deserved it,'' she said of Wilson and his brother, who also was arrested. "If I was there, I probably would have done it myself.''

[Brazenly Liberal]

1. So would I.

If I thought someone killed my son, torturing a confession might be the LEAST of what I'd want to do to him.

That's why the founders and some who followed had the wisdom to put judges and juries in charge of determining guilt, not mothers.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Problem is it was discovered the cops were torturing confessions out of innocent men

So how would you feel if you found out you had tortured an innocent man?

I couldn't torture anyone.

Don

[Brazenly Liberal]

4. I don't even approve of torturing guilty men

And I certainly don't approve of anything that Burge asshole was up to. I lived in Chicago for many years and saw up close what cops like him were like. Hell, one drunken asshole cruising around in the shotgun seat of a patrol car threatened to shoot my husband because our dog had jumped up and put her front paws onto a park drinking fountain.
Look, all too often, I see abominable behavior excused by someone else's opinion rather than by its own intrinsic rightness or wrongness. You do, too, I know you do. How many times have the Bushies trotted out some Gold Star mom who thinks the war is a right and noble thing? Does that make it a right and noble thing? No. And that mom's statement that she'd torture to get the confession doesn't make it right for Burge (or her) to do so.

A mother's love for her child isn't a logical thing. It's pure emotion. Yes, I stand by my statement that if someone had killed my child, I'd want to kill him in the most painful way possible and I'd want him to know I'm the one who did it. OTOH, I also stand by my statement that that's why it's wise, indeed, not to have moms determine the fate of those who kill their children.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Does killing someone in the most painful way possible for your loss bring your child back?

If it did I would be all for it.

But since it doesn't what would you expect to gain out of it?

I am a parent myself but I just can't wrap my mind around this philosophy?

Don

[Brazenly Liberal]

6. As I said, it's not logical.

Are you a dad? This might be on the mom gene. When you think about it, a level of maternal protectiveness beyond reason would have been something of an evolutionary advantage.

In any event, it's not a philosophy, it's not about gaining anything. As I said, it's a matter of pure emotion and instinct. Hurt my baby and I will want to hurt you. Period.

(I hope it's clear I'm not saying I would kill, just that I'd want to.)

[RB TexLa]

3. I would too, probably a good thing they don't let families of murder victims conduct such things.