November 23, 1985 By Maurice Possley.
U.S. Atty. Anton Valukas Friday sharply criticized the legal profession for tolerating the corruption uncovered in the Operation Greylord investigation shortly after a federal judge cut the prison terms of three former Chicago police officers to reward the ``brave step`` he said their cooperation in the case represented.
In a speech before the Chicago Bar Association`s Judiciary Committee, Valukas said he was ``unaware of any single lawyer who has voluntarily come forward to simply complain about . . . misconduct or corruption within the Circuit Court of Cook County`` during the Greylord investigation.
``I believe that most lawyers and, certainly, most judges take very seriously and sacredly the admonition that they will neither lie nor cheat. But I also believe that many do not accept as their responsibility the requirement that they not tolerate those who do,`` Valukas said.
| This seems very similar to the reaction to the Kids For Cash Scandal where the law enforcement and legal community in Luzerne County maintained a conspiracy of silence. There is one great difference though. Because of Operation Greylord, the law was enacted which MANDATED the silence of lawyers where it would adversely affect the integrity of the judiciary. In KIDS FOR CASH, SILENCE/CONFIDENTIALITY WAS THE LAW. A very very unconstitutional law. |
Earlier Friday, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle reduced the prison terms of three former Chicago police officers whose testimony led to the Greylord conviction of former Cook County Circuit Judge Richard F. LeFevour on corruption charges.
Norgle cut the terms of James LeFevour, Arthur McCauslin and Lawrence McLain after Asst. U.S. Atty. Candace Fabri urged the judge to ``place a premium`` on the cooperative efforts of the three men.
``There truly is a code of silence out there,`` she said. ``These three men have indeed been branded by society.``
Norgle concurred, saying, ``I`m concerned . . . with the code of silence. These three men have taken a brave step. It should be called a coward`s code of silence.``
In his speech to the bar association, Valukas said that the only individuals who were involved in court corruption and who testified in a Greylord trial were those who agreed to cooperate after being indicted or were confronted with allegations of wrongdoing and agreed to testify with a grant of immunity from prosecution.
``It must be made specific and clear that in any and every instance that you believe that some improper or illegal act has occurred that you have an obligation to do something about it. And that obligation is something more than refusing to participate yourself in criminal activity,`` he said.
``Greylord occurred because people believed that they could get away with it and because others let them,`` Valukas said.
The U.S attorney referred to comments made during a Greylord case sentencing by U.S. District Judge John F. Grady about society`s ``strange view of justice`` in which ``we look with favor upon those who know about wrongdoing and who remain silent about it. . . . We call them good guys.``
Valukas also told the bar group that the judicial selection process, in which judges must run ``time and time again for retention or election`` is ``fraught with danger`` because judges are required to raise funds to campaign.
The individuals who support the judges financially also appear before them as litigants, Valukas said. ``We should be wary of any system which puts a judge in a position to decide matters other than on their merits.``
The reduction in sentences by Norgle came as federal prosecutors prepared for another round of indictments in the Greylord investigation.
Former Judge John Devine, former Court Clerk Harold Conn and former Chicago Police Officer Ira Blackwood, all convicted in Greylord and now serving prison terms, have been returned to Chicago for appearances before the Greylord grand jury.
Norgle reduced the sentence of James LeFevour, 57, first cousin of the former judge, to 18 months from 30 months. The former police officer is in the Terre Haute federal prison camp in Terre Haute, Ind.
The sentence of McCauslin, 57, was cut to 12 months from 18 months, and the sentence of McLain, 49, was reduced from 15 months in prison to 12 months in a work-release program in which he will work during the day and spend nights in jail. The two former police officers were ordered to begin serving their sentences Jan. 3.
Richard LeFevour, 54, was convicted last July 13 on 59 counts of taking bribes to fix drunken-driving cases and parking tickets over 14 years. He was sentenced by Norgle to 12 years in prison. He remains free on appeal bond.
Fabri told Norgle that the three former officers, all admitted bagmen for Richard LeFevour, ``have been fully cooperative and truthful`` and all were expected to testify in future Greylord trials.
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