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| Former Jail Officers Allege Harassment For Violating 'Code Of Silence' |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 08/05/2003 |
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Two former correctional officers who testified under oath about co-workers beating inmates at Cook County Jail have filed a lawsuit alleging that they were harassed and threatened when they refused to cover up the assaults. Roger Fairley and Richard Gackowski allege in the federal lawsuit filed July 25 that because they refused to follow a 'code of silence' they were subjected to harassment, humiliation and death threats. The lawsuit names as defendants Cook County Sheriff Michael Sheahan and 12 current or former sheriff's deputies. Sheriff's spokeswoman Sally Daley said the department's lawyers had not yet seen the lawsuit, but added, 'These two officers claim their motivation was to break what they call a code of silence. This lawsuit proves that their true motivation is to make money at the expense of other correctional officers.' Both men testified in a separate lawsuit that fellow officers at Cook County Jail beat five restrained inmates on July 29, 2000. When the two men made it clear that they would not cover up the beatings their supervisors and fellow officers began harassing them, according to the lawsuit. Fairley alleges he was denied paternity leave after the birth of his child and denied payment for overtime he worked because of his testimony. Fellow officers also called the two men sexually offensive names, the lawsuit said. And when they complained to the department's internal affairs division, their allegations were ignored, according to the lawsuit. Fairley and Gackowski contend in the lawsuit that they were trained separately at the sheriff's academy but were both taught 'what was in essence a code of silence ... that they were to remain silent when asked about events at the Cook County jail by outsiders, including members of the press and legal community.' |
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