Jury selection continues today in the trial of Jon Burge. The former Chicago police commander faces charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. But the crime Burge has long been accused of is torturing confessions from suspects under his custody at the CPD’s Area Two station. He’s never faced charges on those counts, due to our legal system’s statute of limitations. The Burge case has raised questions about the fairness of our justice system, the conduct of our police officers and States’ Attorneys office, and the disparities of our neighborhoods. Some say if Burge and the officers who worked with him aren’t tried for torture, justice cannot be served. Stanley Howard says he was one of the suspects tortured by Burge. Howard was 23 when he was sentenced to death for murder. That sentence was pardoned by former Governor George Ryan but Howard remains incarcerated at Pontiac Prison. He still maintains his innocence. When we spoke with him he recalled the night that led to his current fate. If he’s found guilty of lying about the torture of Stanley Howard and others, Jon Burge faces a maximum of 45 years in prison.