Legal battle to strip Burge of pension continues

The state’s fight to strip disgraced former Chicago police Commander Jon Burge of his pension was revived Friday by an appeals court that reversed a Cook County judge's ruling and said the state's top prosecutor could challenge the pension board's decision.

Burge is serving a 4 ½-year sentence in prison following his conviction last year for lying about the torture and physical abuse of numerous criminal suspects.

After he was convicted, the police pension board deadlocked 4-4 on whether Burge could continue to collect his $3,000-a-month pension. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued, asking the courts to find that Burge that should lose his pension.

“Taxpayers should never be forced to foot the bill for a convicted public official,” Madigan said in a statement issued this afternoon.

Burge’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment, but he has previously said he expected a lengthy legal battle over his client’s pension.