The black box of police torture

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Andrew Wilson was one of approximately 125 Black men who, between 1972 and 1991, were tortured by various means at Chicago’s Area Two police precinct. Beyond these specific dates and outside of this particular location, journalists place the total number of torture survivors at roughly 200. Speaking to the jury that would decide his fate, Andrew Wilson, accused of committing two police homicides in 1982, described the Black Box, a torture device that Chicago police officers used to elicit his confession: He put it on my fingers…. One [of the clamps] on one finger and one on the other finger. And then he kept cranking it and cranking it, and I was hollering and screaming. I was calling for help. My teeth was grinding. Flickering in my head. Pain…. This last word, pain, was a fading whisper. Wilson’s voice grew softer as he spoke. He paused and, after reflecting on the horrifying spectacle of his torture, Wilson returned to his testimony.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Anthropology of Police
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages188-208
Number of pages21
ISBN (Electronic)9781317419099
ISBN (Print)9781138919655
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2018
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Social Sciences

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