Found Poetry: Survivors of Police Torture by Lauren Bianchi

Ms. Bianchi

lmbianchi — 2021-06-01 14:29:45 UTC

Mary L. Johnson

The Police don’t only get you when you’re bad.

They can destroy him and all of us.

Everywhere I went I had to give my story to a white person.

Don’t you even look at me.

They separated us so we wouldn’t know what was happening to one another.

But I was driven by the love of my son.

Expose these.

I got an invitation to visit death row.

And when they saw me, they said I reminded them of the mother they hadn’t seen in years.

I couldn’t help my son, but I could help somebody else’s

I don’t want you feeling sorry for me.

They take our sons, they beat them, and what can we do about it?

Empathy.

We work together.

We can do beautiful things.

lmbianchi — 2021-06-01 14:32:41 UTC

Darrell Cannon

Emilio Vela

2021-06-02 16:03:58 UTC

The detectives drove him to a desolate place on the Southeast Side and tortured him

The judicial system tortured me because they placed me in front of a judge that was an ex-state’s attorney

So I was found guilty.

have never had a single witness, a single shred of evidence against me in this murder case, only my signature on a piece of paper that they later on filled out the way that they wanted to fill it out, and they called it a confession. It was my word against three detectives. . . .

Tony B

abarajas34 — 2021-06-02 16:10:01 UTC

Chicago police torture survivors with violence. You get targeted, beaten up and destroyed.

Nikko A

2021-06-02 16:10:41 UTC

I said I don’t know how to draw. He said give me some stick figures, I just want to show the courts what they did to you.

Those drawings . . . were submitted. The state’s attorney had their own psychiatrist examine the torture drawings. And their own psychiatrist said yeah, sorry to say that this happened. No man could be this detailed if it didn’t happen.

This is my mindset; this is how I think. I want it to be known, I’m grateful but I’m not content. I can never be content until justice prevails for all the people who are still in prison . . .

That’s why I go around the country. It’s been a blessing and an honor to be around such dedicated people, because of the support that they have given us continually. Sometimes I don’t feel like talking about this but I have to. Normally, I have to drink a lot of Pepto because I get nauseous when I talk about this. But it’s my duty to speak up, it’s my duty to be an advocate for justice.

Marissa Roberts

2021-06-02 16:10:55 UTC

Security prison, electric cattle prod, torture, bad habits. Nauseous, not content. All victims. Make a difference and speak up. Advocate for justice!

Bryanna P

2021-06-02 16:11:17 UTC

My son was beat up in the park.

So by me reporting to the police what they did to my son, they targeted him after that.

They separated us so we wouldn’t know what was happening to one another.

They march with me and talk to me, but when we go home we part our ways. So that keeps us divided.

We’re in battle to be fair

I don’t want you feeling sorry for me

Luis G

2021-06-02 16:11:54 UTC

I started disliking them white folks, but they had also been brainwashed, they been keeping us divided but we’re in a battle to be fair, when we work together we can do beautiful things

Alexa Sanchez

aasanchez17 — 2021-06-02 16:13:33 UTC

Mary Johnson is the mother of a survivor of violence at the hands of the Chicago Police.
growing up in Chicago and being taught to love all people. But her life changed when her son was beaten up by the police

I saw his face scarred up.
So by me reporting to the police what they did to my son, they targeted him after that. See that’s the lowdown way they can destroy him, and all of us.

So I was feeling very bad. I started disliking all them white folks that I liked so much.
And I resented them so ‘til I rode the bus and I’d see a white person looking at me and I’d roll my eyes ‘til they’d turn their head.

I said to myself, Don’t you even look at me, all the stuff you is. But then I came to realize that if I was a person of color and I didn’t realize what was going on why do I think they knew? They had been brainwashed also. They separated us so we wouldn’t know what was happening to one another.

Joel Valdivia

2021-06-02 16:13:46 UTC

The police can get you when you’re good,
So I was feeling very bad.

But then I came to realize that if I was a person of color and I didn’t realize what was going on why do I think they knew?

They like me, but they don’t live near me. They march with me and talk to me, but when we go home we part our ways.

No I don’t need sympathy, but now empathy.

When we work together we can do beautiful things.

Nicole Fernandez

nfernandez161 — 2021-06-02 16:16:56 UTC

I’m grateful but I’m not content. I can never be content until justice prevails.

detectives drove him to a desolate place on the Southeast Side and tortured him. Forcing a shotgun into his mouth and pulling the trigger three times (the shotgun was empty).

Sometimes I don’t feel like talking about this but I have to. Cannon confessed murder that officials today say he never committed.

White detectives tortured me, my name was never Darrell Cannon

That’s how they can break you down

Francisco F

ffigueroa61 — 2021-06-02 16:17:24 UTC

People have been having accidents all throughout the world for so long that I believe the only appropriate insurance is a pistol.

I'm implying that war is impossible to comprehend or reenact.

It is necessary to fight and win wars.

The sensation of "amaze me, baby" occurs from time to time.

The bestial but blots it out

Telling me something isn't something you do all the time.

what do you believe would happen if...

whenever a black boy is killed

Then we assassinate a police.

whenever they If we kill a black

man and then a cop,

do you think the accident rate would drop?

Yajaira

2021-06-02 16:17:48 UTC

her life changed when her son was beaten up by the police

Police jumped on him and I saw his face scarred up.

they can destroy him and you better not say anything about it

They take our sons, they beat them, and what can we do about it?

That’s not right.

I couldn’t help my son, but I could help somebody else’s

We’re in a battle to be fair.

I am Black and strong

I learned to speak up

I’m gonna expose these sons of a gun.

Take them right out of our arms.

We can do beautiful things.

Together

resist police torture

Xiomara Salazar

2021-06-02 16:18:09 UTC

Darrell Cannon
Tortured and forced a shotgun into his mouth.

Pulled the trigger three times to scare him although the shotgun was empty.

Was called slurs,. His name was never Darrell Cannon to the police.

He was so scared, he confessed to a crime he never committed.
Spent more than 20 years in prison.

Zionna McMullen Mary Johnson is the mother of a survivor of violence at the hands of the Chicago Police. She worked tirelessly in the effort to resist police torture. She described her early life, growing up in Chicago and being taught to love all people. But her life changed when her son was beaten up by the police

zmcmullen1 — 2021-06-02 16:55:26 UTC

Mia Serrano

2021-06-02 17:09:17 UTC

He never committed.

Sometimes I don’t feel like talking about this but I have to,

But it’s my duty to speak up, it’s my duty to be an advocate for justice.

Sergio Ramos

2021-06-02 17:14:56 UTC

“During that particular day on November 2nd, 1983, during the entire time that these white detectives tortured me, my name was never Darrell Cannon, my name was always “n----r” this, “n----r” that. . .

The detectives drove him to a desolate place on the Southeast Side and tortured him by forcing a shotgun into his mouth and pulling the trigger three times I want you to draw everything that they did to you. I said I don’t know how to draw. He said give me some stick figures, I just want to show the courts what they did to you.

He spent more than 20 years in maximum security prison, which he refers to in his testimony as Supermax. He was finally exonerated and released in 2004.

Jersey Del Rio

2021-06-02 17:15:58 UTC

Pulled the trigger three times to scare him although the shotgun was empty.

Tortured and forced a shotgun into his mouth.

He was so scared, he confessed to a crime he never committed.
His name was never Darrell Cannon to the police.
Spent more than 20 years in prison.

speak up!
Advocate for justice!

Brandon Alcala

balcala1 — 2021-06-02 17:19:48 UTC

Darrel Cannon

The detectives drove him to a desolate place on the Southeast Side and tortured him by forcing a shotgun into his mouth and pulling the trigger three times (the shotgun was empty)

Cannon confessed to a murder that officials today say he never committed

my name was always “n----r” this, “n----r” that. .

my name was never Darrell Cannon,

I honestly was ready to say that my mother committed a crime.

That’s how they can break you down.”

I’ve seen people who were tough guys that came down there and tried to kill themselves

isolation and sleep deprivation.

the door is designed to slam and that echo throughout your entire unit,

so it’s going to wake you up

this is all by design.

And now you are the voters

. You make the difference

Amaya Hughes

2021-06-02 17:20:07 UTC

Working tirelessly to resist the police torture we receive. No, the police won’t just get you when you're bad but also when you're good. They can destroy all of us.

They will march with me and talk to me but by the time we go home our friendship is over and we’re back to the divided people we were before.

My son was being hurt over and over and it wouldn’t stop. No matter where I went I was giving my story to another white person. Those white people were in control because they didn’t look like me. It was okay because I was gonna expose those sons of a gun.

I knew living in fear wasn’t a way to live so I had to overcome it to actually call it living. This is a battle we’re in to be fair but I am Black and I am strong. It’s not fair they take our sons and beat them, it’s not right. No need for sympathy but empathy. It’s time we come together to do beautiful things.

Maurycy Pedroza

2021-06-03 03:34:48 UTC

Prevent the fear of police,
Stay strong when theyre’s interal stress,
Resist the battle of violence, Protect family

Gabriel Fuentes

2021-06-03 23:12:40 UTC

I am a survivor of police brutality and torture

I get very nauseous talking about this

One of my sons tortured and beat

The effect it had on my family

My son screaming for help hopeless and helpless

There is to much violence

Speak Up

March WIth Me

When we work together we can do beautiful things

Natalie Soto

2021-06-06 23:47:12 UTC

He was arrested, tortured, broken down with violence.

His name was never Darrell Cannon.

He never committed.

Speak up.

Prevent the fear of police.

Stay strong….

When we work together we can do Beautiful Things.

Eliza Perez

eperez158 — 2021-06-07 00:10:34 UTC

It was my word against three detectives
It was like a battle i felt suffocated
Put yourself in my position
No man could be this detailed if it didn’t happen
They diagnosed me with post-traumatic syndrome
the police jumped me ,my face scarred up. I filed a complaint. I learned then that the police don’t only get you when you’re bad, the police can get you when you’re good
I worry if this can happen again. There is always this inner fear that I will get tied into something I didn’t do
it’s my duty to speak up, it’s my duty to be an advocate for justice. I’m grateful but not content. I can never be content until justice prevails for all the people who are still in prison
It's not fair, Its not right.
I don’t need sympathy, but now empathy. When we work together we can do beautiful things.

Jose A

2021-06-07 14:35:18 UTC

He said to allow to called his family

And they speak up to his one of his sons

and one of ther sons wake up in the cold

Family lost one of the sons

giovanni chavez

2021-06-09 21:31:02 UTC

These police are torture for people like we back to slavery

Chicago has so much violence it makes me feel sorry for myself this is like a battle against all police. Some children die in their mothers arms so i say this should end

Laura Gomez

2021-06-10 03:16:31 UTC

They take our sons, they beat them
That’s not fair. That’s not right
Put yourself in my position
We’re in a battle to be fair

Vanessa Camarillo

2021-06-10 15:29:24 UTC

They take our sons, they beat them.
These police are torture for people like we back to slavery
When we work together we can do beautiful things.
Put yourself in my position.
We’re in a battle to be fair.

Emily Guzman

eguzman511 — 2021-06-13 01:51:18 UTC

We’re in a battle to be fair.

Sympathy, no I don’t need sympathy, but now empathy

David Ramirez

2021-06-13 08:14:44 UTC

Mary Johnson is the mother of a survivor of violence

My son they targeted him

We’re in a battle

I don’t need sympathy, but now empathy

When we work together we can do beautiful things.

Tranya Bowling

2021-06-14 03:43:07 UTC

His name was never Darrell Cannon.

My son was beat up in the park.

The judicial system tortured me
because they placed me in front of a judge that was an ex-state’s attorney

So I learned to speak up

We’re in a battle to be fair

My son they targeted him

Sometimes I don’t feel like talking about this but I have to,

I was released,

Isabela Berlanga

ieberlanga — 2021-06-15 16:42:24 UTC

Mary Johnson is mother of survivor of violence at hands of the Chicago Police

She was taught to love all people. her life changed when her son was beaten up by the police

Luis ALmaraz

laalmaraz — 2021-06-16 02:18:49 UTC

I feel like I am in that room again

nervous paranoid stressed

he forced me to confess a murder I didn't do

try to kill me

there was nothing I can do

I still have nightmares, never get the psychological help I need

Police stress and anger but really it's not me

Michael Diaz

2021-06-16 03:23:15 UTC

Mary Johnson, The mother of a survivor of violence from police.

I want it to be known.

My son was beating up at the park.

It's my duty to speak up, it’s my duty to be an advocate for justice..

I was a survivor of violenceSurvivor of police torturehis face scarred upI went and filed a complaint. I learned then that the police don’t only get you when you’re bad, the police can get you when you’re good, and you better not say anything about it's I learned to speak up

2021-06-16 03:59:03 UTC

Gerardo Garcia

ggarcia1641 — 2021-06-16 04:45:55 UTC

I still get nervous when i see police because i see, penintentary, slavery, suffer, torturing, battle, death in them.

Lanise Cartagena

2021-06-16 19:17:22 UTC

I felt very awful
I have so much love for my son
If anything he will be the last person
I want to loose in my life
He means the world, So i promise I will catch them
You cant always help
But I will do everything in my power to stop this

Sandra Briseno

2022-06-01 17:21:52 UTC

That keeps us divided,

I came to realize that if I was a person of color and I didn’t realize what was going on they would torture me

Because they had hurt my son and it was constantly going on

Put yourself in my position

We’re in a battle to be fair,

And sympathy is what I don’t need, but now empathy

Because when we work together we can do beautiful things

Jacqueline Basulto

2022-06-01 17:27:51 UTC

He was not guilty, a lot of them were not

It was the police brutality

That caused many to suffer

Even after that they were strong

They survived

They lived to tell their story

Yara Barajas

2022-06-01 17:35:24 UTC

Testimonies from Survivors

it’s having to suffer

being sent in to death row

going through violence

Racism

racial slurs by police

This is my testimonial and i well not hold back.

Isabella Romo

2022-06-01 17:41:31 UTC

I want you to have empathy for me. Tell them to stay in the house and don’t go out. Sympathy, no I don’t need sympathy, but now empathy.

Victor M

2022-06-01 17:42:03 UTC

Anthony holmes was incarcerated

It prevented him from seeing his kids so he felt mentally suffocated

Pulled the trigger three times to scare him although the shotgun was empty.

They separated us so we wouldn’t know what was happening to one another.

Zair

2022-06-02 15:46:04 UTC

Mary Johnson. Tortured by Chicago police. Her son was assaulted by officers even though he was good. Reported. Targeted

Alyssa A

2022-06-03 17:39:26 UTC

If I had been home it would have been easier for me and my family to deal with the death of my brother, three cousins, two nieces and a nephew. …

Viviana P

2022-06-06 01:26:19 UTC

So I learned to speak up and talk and I say, I’m gonna expose these sons of a guns.They take our sons, they beat them.I don’t want you feeling sorry for me because I am Black and strong. I want you to have empathy for me .When we work together we can do beautiful things. We’re in a battle to be fair. I started feeling sorry for myself, but I was driven by my love for my son

Janet Cortez . They take our sons, They beat them. I don’t want you feeling sorry for me because I am Black and strong. We’re in a battle to be fair. When we work together we can do beautiful things.

2022-06-06 18:10:18 UTC

angel limon

2024-05-24 14:03:32 UTC

In the heart of Chicago where the winds do sing, A tale unfolds, a bell of justice rings. Mary, a mother, her spirit never tires, Burning bright with resistance, an undying fire. Her son, once beaten, by those meant to protect, In the park, under skies, where one least expects. "They take our sons," she cries, "and leave us to mourn, Is staying inside from dusk until dawn?" Fairness, she seeks, not sympathy's hand, Empathy's embrace, to understand. Together, strong, a force intertwined, In unity and action, beautiful things we find. For in the struggle, in the fight for what's right, Mary's voice echoes, through the day, into night. "Stand with me," she calls, "in solidarity's light, Together we'll turn this darkness into dawn's early light."

Oscar Sanchez

2024-05-28 15:34:19 UTC

Put yourself in their position,They take their sons,they beat them.They are strong,we have to battle to be fair and for what's right,When we work together we can do beautiful things.Have empathy and let's battle this together.