Inside Chicago Police's Secret Cell Phone Spying Agreement with the FBI
Post written by special guest contributor, Freddy Martinez.
Over roughly the last year I've worked to uncover quite a bit about cell phone spying that Chicago Police has been doing since at least 2008. CPD has been quietly purchasing IMSI catchers (usually called Stingrays), which they describe as “military-grade electronics” which act as fake, portable cell phone towers to track cell phones. These Stingrays are capable of identifying all cell phones in a given area (roughly 1 Km in diameter, depending on the power used) and “filtering” out to a given wanted IMSIs (roughly, a number plus other identifying information). The basic function of an Stingrays is to show up to an arbitrary location, begin transmitting as a “real” cell phone tower, invalidating your current phone connection and forcing your phone to hand over its information. This information could mean dialed numbers, text message information, even your voice content all without a warrant. Through the Freedom of Information Act (and two FOIA lawsuits), we have learned that CPD claims to have no written procedures for when these Stringrays are deployed and further that the police department claims to have no records of this “military-grade” equipment being checked in and out of their Technology Lab.
Across the country we have seen that police departments have been signing non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with the FBI and Harris Corporation which forces them to keep quiet on how Stingrays are deployed. In Erie County, New York, the ACLU fought all the way to nearly the Supreme Court of New York to force a police department to disclose its NDA. In fact, when CPD purchased their Stingray, they also signed an NDA with Harris and the FBI We have obtained a fully Non Disclosure agreement between from Chicago Police and the FBI and are publishing it here for the first time.
In analyzing the NDA, we notice this is the exact same NDA signed by the Erie County and CPD with the FBI and Harris Corporation. This indicated these agreements are boilerplate and used to hide critical records from the public. In fact, the police are not allowed to even buy the equipment unless they alert the FBI to routine public records requests. And both Erie County Sherrif'sand Chicago Police should “at the request of the FBI, seek dismissal of the case in lieu of using or providing, or allowing others to use or provide, any information concerning the Harris Corporation wireless collection equipment.” (page 6) So in the same breath that they claim this technology can save lives from dangerous criminals and terrorists, the case work could be thrown out at the direction on the FBI. It's a perplexing level of secrecy for local police to engage in.
Of course, the NDA is not just the entire story, but part of a pattern of secrecy around Stingrays and their use. As previously mentioned, CPD claims to have no record of ever deploying the Stingrays or checking it and out of Tech Lab. Yet at the same time, they claim that court records are exempt under US code (18 U.S. Code § 3123) Pen Register/Trap and Trace provisions, which was significantly expanded after 9/11, and which CPD claims as the legal basis for their authorization. This is particularly relevant since PR/TT does not require a warrant for records, which might conflicts with IL SB 2828 law for real-time location tracking. On top of the secrecy around FOIA, cops have gone so far as to invent Confidential Informations to attribute information to instead of showing Stingray use in court. And this pressure to local police seem to be coming from the top levels of Obama DoJ. All of this is organized from the federal level down and Chicago Police seems to have no issue with the vast secrecy.
As our FOIA case progresses, we hope to share further updates with readers in this space.
Chicago's "Historic" Torture Reparations Package
Post written by special guest contributor, Freddy Martinez.
Chicago has become the first U.S. city to formally acknowledge torture by its police department. Community activists, victims and lawyers first pushed to expose widespread torture under police commander Jon Burge over twenty-seven years ago. The work began when People's Law Office represented Andrew Wilson's civil lawsuit against Chicago Police and Burge in the early 1980s. Human Rights Watch notes that Wilson was burned by cigarettes and electrocuted by a “black box” for over seventeen hours.
In 1990, John Conroy reported that a different person, Roy Wade Brown, was interrogated by police and his finger was placed in a bolt cutter with threats to cut it off. Furthermore, “he was taken to the roof of the police station and was told he would be thrown off." In another instance, while under police custody, Burge and another officer beat a victim named Will Porch "with a .44 Magnum pistol… emptied the revolver of all but one bullet, and then forced him to play a one-sided game of Russian Roulette." Other abuses included electric shocks to the genitals, beatings, suffocation with plastic bags, and coercions into false confessions. The torture was so endemic that in 2009, Illinois established the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission Act to review and investigate hundreds of cases of alleged abuse. The Commission was defunded in 2012, essentially destroying their ability to investigate further.
The torture committed by the Chicago Police Department occurred long before the much-publicized torture of Iraqis by US troops in Abu Ghraib. Indeed as the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UN CAN) notes “However, it [UN CAN] remains concerned that, despite the fact that [Jon] Burge was convicted for perjury and obstruction of justice, no Chicago police officer has been convicted for these acts of torture for reasons including the statute of limitations expiring. While noting that several victims were ultimately exonerated of the underlying crimes, the vast majority of those tortured most (sic) of them African-Americans, have received no compensation for the extensive injuries suffered”. Of course, Chicago did not unilaterally adopt UN CAN's recommendations. The People's Law Office who worked alongside the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial Project, alongside other groups, to lobby for this reparations package. After decades of struggle, the Chicago's City Council has finally created a formal reparations package funded with more five million dollars of compensation to victims among other concessions. The concession package includes a formal apology from the City Council, a public memorial to torture survivors, free enrollment at City Colleges, psychological counseling services and more. Of particular importance is that Chicago Public Schools will create a curriculum that teaches the history of police torture.
To understand the history of torture further Ruby Hornet spoke with Shubra Ohri, staff attorney at the People's Law Office, about the package.
Manny Pacquiao Fights for Us
Guest editorial by Jordan Garcia.
The question any Filipino gets asked when a Pacquiao fight is looming near is, “Where are you watching the fight?” It’s never “Are you watching the fight?” It’s a universally understood truth that we watch his fights. We don’t have to know anything about boxing. We don’t even have to know who he’s fighting. All we need is the time and place, and we cheer like hell. It doesn’t even matter that he’s hundreds — sometimes thousands — of miles away, everyone has that one Auntie that yells as if he can hear her. Nothing brings my multi-generational Filipino family together quite like a Pacquiao fight.
The way in which we celebrate each fight is rooted in the Filipino culture of hospitality. We open up our homes to anyone who needs a place to watch it. We bring enough food to feed a small army and force everyone to “eat, eat.” And of course, there is no shortage of laughing as loud as humanly possible, most of the time at things that aren’t even funny. These are all things that Philippine-born and American-born Filipinos can relate to even when they can’t relate to each other. But the deeper connection with Pacquiao is the sense of pride that we feel knowing that he is “one of us.”
Many times growing up, I’d be shopping with my grandmother, and we’d run into a complete stranger who happened to be Filipino. It took me years before I actually realized that these people weren’t part of my extended family. I always assumed that we were related because of the ease my grandma would talk to them. The conversations were long, and if that stranger happened to work at wherever we were shopping, it would end with the request of a “Filipino discount” and a light chuckle. This is how I learned you should never be shocked what one Filipino will do for another. If family was measured by what you would do for someone, these strangers would be considered family.
It wasn’t until the first time I heard someone say that Filipinos are “so ridiculous” because of the way we cheer for Pac Man that I realized why Manny being a stranger in my family was so important. I’ve heard this comment a few times since then, and when I glance over, it’s always some “American” (and by "American," I of course mean white person) I’ve laughed to myself each time. When you don’t understand what it’s like to be marginalized as a group, you aren’t forced to have pride the way that we are.
If you’re a person that read that last sentence and thought to yourself, “Marginalized is too strong a word,” allow me to educate you.
Are you aware that there was a Philippine-American war that ended with the US occupation of the country as a territory? Many historians say this drastically changed the cultural landscape of The Philippines. Did you know that Filipinos are the third largest immigrant group in the United States behind Mexicans and Chinese? Knowing that, can you relate Filipinos to anything besides Manny? Marginalized, by definition, is to treat as insignificant or peripheral. Not just Filipinos, but Asian-Americans as a whole are treated as insignificant in this country. That is why Manny being “one of us” is so important. He is the hero that brings us into significance. He makes The Philippines and its culture a focal point.
The greatest part, for me as a Filipina, is knowing that Manny is just like those Filipino strangers at the market. Manny is so excited for his upcoming fight against Mayweather that he wrote a song about it, “Lalaban Ako Para Si Filipino” in English that translates to “I Will Fight for the Filipino.” That’s what Manny would do for us. He fights for us for the same reason we cheer for him. We’re proud of who we are and we’re fighting for our significance.
The Windy City Avengers: Chicago's Mightiest Athletes
This post was originally posted on our affiliate site, City on the Take.
Avengers: Age of Ultron is in theaters worldwide, and needless to say I am filled with unbridled excitement. I had the wonderful opportunity to see the midnight premier late last night. Everyone, comic book fans or not, should go see this movie.
With everything going on in the Chicago sports world, I couldn't help but make correlations between the Avengers super heroes and Chicago's super athletes. The Blackhawks have made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Bears are going to select the 7th overall pick in their own city, the Bulls just stomped the Bucks out of the NBA Playoffs and the Cubs and White Sox are in full swing for their respective seasons.
I know a lot of people who dig comic books, but aren't so much into the sport scene. On the contrary I also know loads of people who are quite into sports, but don't care much for the comic books and comic book movies/tv shows. I'm hoping to marry the two. It's time that both worlds meet each other, and no better time to do it during than what will be the biggest box-office opening since the last Avengers movie.
To those looking to kill some time between periods, innings, quarters, or draft picks I urge you to read this. For those that are bored out of their mind waiting in line for the midnight premier of the Avengers, check this out and open up your mind to the world of sports. The sports and comic book world are full of so much joy, life and entertainment. If you're not into one, try the other. If you're into both, well we may very well be best friends already.
I know you all can't wait to dig in, so I present to you The Windy City Avengers: Chicago's Mightiest Athletes on City on the Take.
My Trip to the Local Scientology Church
The author has requested to remain anonymous.
Classical music plays outside of a lucrative business on one of the busiest streets in my city, but I’ve never seen anyone go in. Maybe it’s because this is the only place around that attempts to lure you in this way. Intrigued, I decided to go in. As I stepped closer to the door, a sudden rush of doubt fell over me. I felt squirmy and began to second-guess myself on opening the door. I told myself, “This is a totally normal thing that a lot of people do.” Trying not to pass judgement, I opened the door and stepped into my local Scientology organization.
Recently, the church has been under high scrutiny because of the HBO documentary, Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief, and various other accounts from countless ex-Scientologists, family members and researchers. What the church calls secret or confidential information from the religion’s founder, renowned science-fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, has been “leaked” (more like revealed) to the internet over the past couple decades with more outrageous accusations than the church can try to suppress. Personal accounts of mental abuse, physical abuse, tiring work hours and tasks, tax evasion, fraud, death threats, alleged disappearances, court proceedings and countless other testimonies have Americans on the edge of their seats as they see what the “secret” religion of Scientology is all about. Since watching the documentary the day it aired, I have wanted nothing more than to visit the “org” (local branch) as a potential member. More so, you could say I became obsessed with the idea. Knowing nobody would go with me, I had no choice but to head in solo.
[RH Video] Vic Mensa at the Metro (11/28/2014)
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This post was originally published by our affiliate, Chicago Music. Photo and video by J. Frank.
Last Friday, SAVEMONEY's Vic Mensa headlined a show at the iconic Metro alongside some of his SAVEMONEY brothers, including Towkio, Leather Curduroys (made up of Kami de Chukwu and Joey Purp, and a special appearance by Chance the Rapper. Mensa has seen tremendous growth in 2014 following last year's release of his solo debut mixtape, INNANETAPE, such as a European tour with Danny Brown, being named to XXL's 2014 Freshman class, and charting in international markets with his first official single, "Down On My Luck." Friday's Metro show was just another highlight in a year full of them for the Chicago native.
Supremely talented videographer J. Frank was on hand to capture some of the intense energy on display at Vic's show, which you can watch in the video below.
[RH Photos] Jeezy at Stubb's (11/20/2014)
Photos by Tami Weis. Review by Diego Montes.
Back when Jeezy was still Young Jeezy, I remember hearing his song with Akon for the first time and thinking, "I'm not feelin' this shit at all. I bet it's gonna be a huge hit." I had no idea how popular he'd get in strip clubs, or that all these years later, the dude would still be around to tell haters like me to fuck off in person. That's exactly what happened Thursday night at Stubbs.
"Ten years. That's a decade my nigga," was more or less the theme of the night, and by the ninth or tenth time he said so, I realized you do have to hand it to him on two points. First, ten years is a decade, he was adamant about that. Second, he has had real staying power, at least enough that it made sense to drop the Young from his name, a move that most Young rappers don't rap long enough to make.
Of course, every rapper claims to be the best, and Jeezy is no different. He's not the best, but he is pretty good at what he does and seems to know what his fans want. Even with threats of rain at an outdoor venue, Jeezy was able to draw a decent-sized crowd with a wide range of people, and those that did show were giving a lot of energy. I only saw one guy make it rain, which was a little disappointing, but since I wasn't about to step up myself I figured I couldn't complain. Jeezy certainly didn't seem disappointed, repeatedly commenting on the crowd's hype and genuinely giving love to all parts of Texas.
There were a lot of people having fun, so it was easy to join in, and that seems to be what Jeezy wanted his shows to be about. He even closed the show with a motivational speech about keeping good people around you or some shit. Honestly, I tend to have an opposite reaction to motivation, so I mostly tuned that out, but I liked that he did that because it's good for some people.
Whatever else you may think of him, don't ever say Jeezy doesn't care.
[Video] Randy Class: "Cocaine Kisses"
Randy Class, the R&B crooner from the Bronx, has released a new video for his song "Cocaine Kisses" off of his latest EP, Metanoia. Check it out below.
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