Edward Hanrahan
Encyclopedia
Edward Vincent Hanrahan was a Cook County, Illinois
State's Attorney
who had been groomed as a prospective successor to Mayor of Chicago
Richard J. Daley
whose career was effectively ended after an ill-fated 1969 raid by police attached to his office that resulted in the deaths of Black Panther Party
leader Fred Hampton
and member Mark Clark
.
Hanrahan was born in Coconut Grove, Florida
and moved as a child to Chicago with his family. He attended the University of Notre Dame
. During World War II
he served in an intelligence role in the United States Army
Signal Corps. After completing his military service, he attended Harvard Law School
and earned his law degree in 1948.
Mayor of Chicago Richard J. Daley supported his successful bid for an appointment as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Hanrahan got the post after Daley told President of the United States
Lyndon B. Johnson
"Let me say, Mr. President, with great pride and honor, he's a precinct captain". He won a landslide election in 1968 as Cook County State's Attorney, winning support from White and African American voters.
Acting on the basis of a tip from an FBI
informant, 14 police officers assigned to Hanrahan's office staged a pre-dawn raid on December 4, 1969 to search for illegal weapons in the West Side apartment of Fred Hampton
, a leader of the Black Panther Party who used his residence as the organization's headquarters. With dozens of shots fired, Hampton and Black Panther Mark Clark were both killed. Despite guns found on the premises and police assertions that the Panthers had fired first, bullet hole markings presented by police in support of their claim turned out to be nail heads. An investigation found that the police had fired between 82 and 99 shots during the raid, and the Panthers had fired at least one shot. Hanrahan was indicted by a grand jury of obstructing justice and conspiracy to present false evidence, but was later acquitted. A civil suit concluded in 1982 ruled that there was a government conspiracy to deprive the Black Panthers of their civil rights and awarded nearly $2 million to the survivors of the raid and the families of those killed. The events leading up to the incident and the deaths of Hampton and Clark were the subject of the 1971 documentary The Murder of Fred Hampton
, and the material filmed by director Howard Alk
in the immediate aftermath of the incident was used as evidence in the civil suit.
The Cook County Democratic Organization
declined to endorse him in his bid for reelection as State's Attorney but he won the primary anyhow. However in the main election he lost after many African Americans chose not to vote for him. He lost two races in the 1970s for Mayor of Chicago and lost a race in the 1980s for Alderman
on the Chicago City Council
. Hanrahan returned to his law practice, which he continued until his death, at which time he still had two active cases.
Hanrahan died at age 88 on June 9, 2009 at his home in River Forest, Illinois
due to complications from leukemia
and old age. He was survived by his wife of 55 years, their two sons and two daughters, and ten grandchildren.
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
State's Attorney
State's Attorney
In the United States, the State's Attorney is, most commonly, an elected official who represents the State in criminal prosecutions and is often the chief law enforcement officer of their respective county, circuit...
who had been groomed as a prospective successor to Mayor of Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
whose career was effectively ended after an ill-fated 1969 raid by police attached to his office that resulted in the deaths of Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
leader Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton was an African-American activist and deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party...
and member Mark Clark
Mark Clark (Black Panther)
Mark Clark was a member of the Black Panther Party. He was killed with Fred Hampton in a Chicago police raid on December 4, 1969.-Youth:...
.
Hanrahan was born in Coconut Grove, Florida
Coconut Grove, Florida
Coconut Grove is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood of Miami, Florida in Miami-Dade County, United States. The neighborhood is roughly bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, South Dixie Highway and Rickenbacker Causeway to the north, and Biscayne Bay to...
and moved as a child to Chicago with his family. He attended the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in an intelligence role in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Signal Corps. After completing his military service, he attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and earned his law degree in 1948.
Mayor of Chicago Richard J. Daley supported his successful bid for an appointment as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Hanrahan got the post after Daley told President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
"Let me say, Mr. President, with great pride and honor, he's a precinct captain". He won a landslide election in 1968 as Cook County State's Attorney, winning support from White and African American voters.
Acting on the basis of a tip from an FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
informant, 14 police officers assigned to Hanrahan's office staged a pre-dawn raid on December 4, 1969 to search for illegal weapons in the West Side apartment of Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton was an African-American activist and deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party...
, a leader of the Black Panther Party who used his residence as the organization's headquarters. With dozens of shots fired, Hampton and Black Panther Mark Clark were both killed. Despite guns found on the premises and police assertions that the Panthers had fired first, bullet hole markings presented by police in support of their claim turned out to be nail heads. An investigation found that the police had fired between 82 and 99 shots during the raid, and the Panthers had fired at least one shot. Hanrahan was indicted by a grand jury of obstructing justice and conspiracy to present false evidence, but was later acquitted. A civil suit concluded in 1982 ruled that there was a government conspiracy to deprive the Black Panthers of their civil rights and awarded nearly $2 million to the survivors of the raid and the families of those killed. The events leading up to the incident and the deaths of Hampton and Clark were the subject of the 1971 documentary The Murder of Fred Hampton
The Murder of Fred Hampton
The Murder of Fred Hampton is a 1971 documentary film which began with the intention of portraying Fred Hampton, and the Illinois Black Panther Party. During the production of the film, Hampton was killed by the Chicago Police Department....
, and the material filmed by director Howard Alk
Howard Alk
-Career:Alk enrolled in the University of Chicago at the age of 14. He was a member of the Compass Players cabaret troupe and one of the founders of The Second City. Alk had previously worked with Sills at the Gate of Horn. According to Sahlins, Alk coined the group's name...
in the immediate aftermath of the incident was used as evidence in the civil suit.
The Cook County Democratic Organization
Cook County Democratic Organization
The Cook County Democratic Organization is one of the most powerful political machines in American history. Historically called the "Chicago Democratic machine", or simply the "Chicago Machine", the organization has dominated Chicago politics since the 1930s...
declined to endorse him in his bid for reelection as State's Attorney but he won the primary anyhow. However in the main election he lost after many African Americans chose not to vote for him. He lost two races in the 1970s for Mayor of Chicago and lost a race in the 1980s for Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
. Hanrahan returned to his law practice, which he continued until his death, at which time he still had two active cases.
Hanrahan died at age 88 on June 9, 2009 at his home in River Forest, Illinois
River Forest, Illinois
River Forest is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Two universities make their home in River Forest, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. The village is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park, Illinois. There are significant...
due to complications from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and old age. He was survived by his wife of 55 years, their two sons and two daughters, and ten grandchildren.