County obeys judge's order to pay special prosecutors

The Cook County Board made peace with a judge Wednesday, voting to obey his order and pay the salaries and expenses of special prosecutors investigating police torture.

Commissioners last month had voted to stop paying special prosecutors Edward J. Egan and Robert D. Boyle. The two submitted a report last year that concluded former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge tortured suspects, but that they could not prosecute him because the statute of limitations had expired.

The report was submitted almost a year ago, and commissioners -- who were ordered by Presiding Criminal Court Judge Paul P. Biebel to hire the prosecutors in the first place -- were angered that they were still paying bills for their work a year after the report was submitted.

But after a closed-door meeting last week with the judge, Commissioner Earlean Collins, who led the no-pay protest, emerged satisfied. She was apparently placated by the fact that judge indicated the two will be ending their work soon, and that part of their continuing employment is due to the two prosecutors turning over investigative materials to federal prosecutors, who are also looking into the torture allegations.

Collins urged fellow board members now to vote to pay the bills, which they did, 13 to 1.