Burge ordered to detail cancer illness

A federal judge today instructed lawyers for former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge to make public his cancer diagnosis and the timeframe for his treatment by Monday.

Burge, who was to go on trial in January on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying about police torture of criminal suspects, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, sources have told the Tribune.
At a hearing today, U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow told the lawyers to
file Burge's motion to delay his trial, keeping detailed medical
reports private but making public his diagnosis and treatment schedule.
Burge's attorneys had sought to file the entire motion under seal.

Meanwhile, no new trial date has been set for Burge. Attorney Marc
Martin told Lefkow that Burge's cancer treatment will begin Jan. 20 and
continue until April 1.

Prosecutors had proposed an April 5 date for Burge for the trial.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Elizabeth Biffl asked Lefkow for a chance to
review the new medical information, saying that was a much longer
treatment schedule than the government believed Burge would be on.

The judge asked the lawyers to return to her courtroom Thursday for a new trial date.

Burge was not present at today's hearing. His attorneys have said
Burge's illness is not a bid to evoke sympathy or delay his trial
unnecessarily.

--Jeff Coen

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