Greylord

by James Tuohy

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399133852
• ISBN13: 9780399133855
• Release Date: February 1989
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 271 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Justice in Chicago

This 1989 book is a narrative of real events taken from testimony, court documents, interviews, and personal observations. James Tuohy and Rob Warden were editors of 'Chicago Lawyer', an investigative monthly that broke many of these stories. Both had prior experiences as reporters for newspapers. The 'Acknowledgments' thank those who provided financial and moral support, and other help. There is no index. This is a fast-paced book, like a mystery novel. Illinois law makes it possible for defendants to sign over their bond directly to a lawyer. Those who post a bond can't be represented by a public defender (p.16). Most of these were misdemeanors punished by a find and probation. Many cases had evidence seized without a warrant or had other problems. Once they signed over their bond refund to a lawyer justice was swift. They were found not guilty and part of their bond money was kicked back to the judge. [In effect, some public tax money went into personal profit.] Those who didn't play this game were soon transferred elsewhere (p.27). Full judges are elected by the voters, they choose the Associate Judges who mostly handle misdemeanors. On November 26, 1980 FBI agents placed a bug in the desk of a narcotics court judge, the first time this was done legally (p.36). They filed an affidavit saying they had reason to believe crimes were being committed. The cause was the release of an accused mob assassin after a bench trial (p.38). The new management at the FBI led to many sting operations. This operation comes close to entrapment, enticing a person to commit a crime (p.40). There are risks (p.41). A guilty party can be a victim of entrapment (p.42). Sting operations can boomerang (p.43). The authors explain the Cook County court system (p.45). They explain the "merit system" which takes away power from the people and gives it to ruling class "laymen" (p.48). [Aren't these corporation owners?] There was a "reform" in 1964 that reduced the power of voters - the result was the major figures of the Greylord scandal (p.49). Another "reform" was the elimination of bail bondsmen. A defendant paid his 10% to the court clerk, or his attorney of record (p.50). The 1970 constitution changed the oversight of judges. The Illinois Supreme Court stepped in to become the final arbiter of judicial conduct, no matter what the constitution said (pp.51-52)! Can a prosecutor violate the law in order to obtain evidence of bribery? Where will it end (p.53)? The Illinois Supreme Court said prosecutors could not break the law (p.54). The US Attorney found a judge who would provide authorization (p.55). Operation Greylord was possible (p.57). The remaining chapters tell of the events. Classic investigation work checked the tax records against known bond-money earnings. Any shortfall in reported income implied a pay-off to judges (p.82). Was this "the most crooked court operation in the history of American jurisprudence" (p.84)? Drug users committed crimes for money (p.10

There is a Psalm for Crooked Judges

Fiction once again is outshown by fact. While at points extremely funny, the book shows the perversions of society wrought by dishonest and corrupt judges. To the cynical, the stories may seem to be expected. To honest citizens of the greatest democracy in the world, the stories are headshaking. The crook enrobed is a shocking thought, and the authors present the reality of that thought. Written in a fast paced style, Greylord is at once terrifying, and instructive. Nothing is quite so strange as a down and out drunk being sentenced to DEATH by a baliff in judges' robes, unless it is a judge who has the "shorts".