4um: Federal judge scolds Chicago police superintendent

The Associated Press

Tue, Mar 10, 2009 (2:54 a.m.)

Chicago's police superintendent was scolded by a federal judge and compared to one of literature's most famous criminals after initially balking at turning over a list of officers who have faced repeated complaints.

"Robin Hood may have been a noble criminal," U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman told Superintendent Jody Weis. "But he still was a criminal."

Gettleman held Weis in contempt of court Wednesday for refusing to turn over the list. Two days later, Weis relented and handed them over.

After receiving the list, Gettleman could have told Weis' attorneys that it was no longer necessary that the superintendent come to court Monday.

But it was obvious from the criticism that lasted several minutes that Gettleman wanted Weis to stand before him and hear him describe Weis' defiance of his order with words like "contemptuous" and "absolutely intolerable."

Gettleman seemed particularly troubled that someone in law enforcement _ "You of all people," he said _ would be willing to defy a judge's order.

The judge ordered the city to pay costs incurred by the defense attorneys who have for several months fought for the list as part of their lawsuit on behalf of a woman claiming an off-duty officer beat up her children while arresting them.

Weis was apologetic Monday, saying he was not trying to offend the judge. But he said his defiance of the judge's order _ what he called one of the most difficult decisions he's ever made _ stemmed from concern for his officers.

Weis' argument has long been that turning the list over would hurt morale and distract officers at a time when they're faced with life-and-death situations.

He said he did not want officers who "have to make split-second decisions having any hesitation or being timid in any way wondering if an allegation, which may or not prove true, is made against them and they would be on a list," he told reporters after the hearing.

Even though there's a protective order that limits who sees the list to attorneys and others involved in the case, his concern was that the information could ultimately be released to the public.

Weis tried to downplay the judge's harsh words, calling the matter simply a "discovery dispute," and that he had turned over the list before Monday's deadline.

G. Flint Taylor, an attorney representing the woman, said he would ask for $50,000 in actual costs and another $50,000 as punishment for Weis' initial refusal to comply with the order.

The Feds didn't blink before taking over a Southern department like New Orleans PD.

Oh, no, there's too much corruption, power and influence there to tamper with their status quo.

The problem with such blatant arrogance when resisting the court order is, it's bound to have a chilling effect on the judge, knowing that the cops could easily fail to respond in a timely manner if he's attacked on the street or in his home.

Human nature is such that he may be inclined to avoid future confrontations so as to avoid sleepless nights.

Remember the Judge in the OKC trial? His kid "fell into a volcano" and he suddenly became "user friendly" with the feds after. In fact by the time he presided over the OKC trial he was so well trained that he committed (what would have been) obvious reversible errors (in any other trial but that one) while helping the prosecution.

Timothy McVeigh was the designated mass murderer and any evidence to the contrary (such as the SPLC's man inside Elohim City) was not allowed to be introduced. And, Judge Richard Matsch was clear on what was expected of him.

We should watch the news to see if Judge Gettleman's family suffers any terrible accidents or tragedies.

Weis's conduct is pretty unbelievable to me, but then again we're talking Illinois, Mayor Daley, Blago, and a deeply rooted system of corruption that is off the charts. The part that blows me away is the message Weis sent to the officers; it's business as usual and no court in the land is to be feared or respected. If Weis were a regular citizen, h/she would be dressed in orange.

Is reading comprehension a weakness too? 'dawg never connected the McVeigh trial to the timing of the Betsy Matsch mishap. Read his comment again s-l-o-w- l-y and then report back to us with something constructive. Now run along.

One thing's for sure, he had what he thought of as good reason to not release that list. I dont think one ignores a judges order on a whim.

Things are going to get real interesting in Chicago because we will find out why exactly he didnt want to turn it over. I can see many appeals granted by exposing the people on that list.

This choice of words would put the accident prior to the OKC trial, but remain obstinate Sparky.

Remember the Judge in the OKC trial? His kid "fell into a volcano" and he suddenly became "user friendly" with the feds after.

We should watch the news to see if Judge Gettleman's family suffers any terrible accidents or tragedies.

I'm convinced that the system was foolishly starved of dollars by Greenspan and then Bernanke. I'm at a loss as to what the proper solution would be but I do believe that it should be Keynesian in nature. We cannot expect a dysfunctional market to correct itself. That would be the same as expecting a pump without a handle to give water.

BTW, we've had more financial "crises" since Greenspan came in and adopted the policy of deflation rather than continuing Volker's anti-inflationey monetary pose; so, it seems to me that a temporary re- inflating is the proper course.

So, was there a time when officers WEREN'T faced with "life-and-death situations"??? Is this time any more crucial than, say, 3 weeks ago? 3 Years ago?? Jody Weis should be horse-whipped to death for stupidity and hoping that other people would buy this line of bullshit.

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"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?”

THe "life and death" crap is way overrated. Police work is not that dangerous. WHat I did was a lot more dangerous than being a cop.