Help Darrell Cannon, CPD Torture Survivor

Help Darrell Cannon, Chicago Police Torture Survivor, To Get His Car Fixed & Get Back on His Feet

Darrell Cannon was one of the first to be recognized by the court system as having founded claims of torture against detectives under the command of Jon Burge. Cannon was forced to confess to murder after police officers played a sadistic game of Russian roulette with him and used cattle prods to shock him. He served 24 years in prison before being exonerated in 2004.

Cannon has become one of the most well-known advocates for the successful effort for reparations for torture victims in Chicago. 10 years ago, on May 6, 2015, the City of Chicago passed a historic reparations bill that guaranteed: a permanent memorial for torture survivors; a rehabilitation and job training center for formerly incarcerated survivors re-entering society; a curriculum to teach this history in Chicago Public Schools; free community college for survivors & their families; and a fund of $5.5M for financial compensation for survivors.

Cannon wasn’t able to receive money from this fund though -- courts ruled that he is illegible because he accepted a settlement in the 1980s that gave him a total of $1,247.

To make money, Darrell drives Uber in a 2014 Chevy Impala. His transmission recently broke down, though, and so he hasn’t been able to work and get the necessary money for critical auto/home repairs. We’re trying to raise money for him to get his transmission fixed, so that he can get back to work.

As friends of Darrell, we believe society has failed to fully support a torture survivor who has been instrumental to fighting for torture justice, and whose testimony has been critical in the legal battle of other survivors of torture at the hands of Jon Burge and his crew.

Thank you for supporting our friend and this pivotal figure in Chicago history.

*Darrell is also available to speak to classrooms and groups about his story as a torture survivor as an additional way to make money. Here is a sample of him telling his story. Please get in touch if you are interested in bringing him on as a guest speaker.