Madigan wants off Chicago abuse case

Lawyers from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office are asking a judge to take cases related to former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge off their hands.

It's a move that advocates say will delay the release of 25 alleged torture victims from prison because they say it will take longer for their cases to be heard.

Burge is the former commander of a police unit that allegedly tortured black suspects into confessing to crimes decades ago.

Madigan's attorneys are petitioning to have supervision for Burge-related cases shifted back to the Cook County state's attorney. They'll make their arguments at a Cook County Circuit Court hearing later in the day.

A court gave Madigan responsibility for the cases in 2003, after ruling that then-State's Attorney Dick Devine and his assistants had a conflict of interest because his law firm had represented Burge.