Magid magnetic tiles are a type of educational toy that consists of small plastic tiles with embedded magnets. These tiles come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. They are designed to be easily connected and disconnected from one another, allowing children to create a wide range of structures and designs. These magnetic tiles are often used in preschools, daycares, and homes to support children's cognitive and motor development. They offer a hands-on and open-ended play experience, encouraging children to explore concepts such as shape recognition, spatial awareness, and basic engineering principles. One of the main benefits of Magid magnetic tiles is their ability to engage children in creative and imaginative play.
It is unclear how many cases Zuley investigated. Rob Warden, who founded Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, said he had never heard of Zuley. But based on patterns from other Chicago police investigators, he said, the number of people Zuley put in prison likely “runs well into the double digits, perhaps the triple digits”.
And then, in 2013, after Boyd lived half his life in prison, the state of Illinois exonerated him, admitting that he should never have been prosecuted in the first place. It was the result of what Fabio Valentini, the chief of the criminal convictions bureau in Alvarez s office, described as a lengthy re-investigation.
One of the main benefits of Magid magnetic tiles is their ability to engage children in creative and imaginative play. The tiles can be used to build anything from simple houses and towers to more complex structures like robots and castles. This kind of play promotes problem-solving skills, as children have to think critically and plan their designs accordingly.
How Chicago police condemned the innocent: a trail of coerced confessions
Exclusive: Before his interrogation tactics got supercharged on detainees in Guantánamo, Richard Zuley extracted confessions from minority Americans in Chicago – at least one leading to a wrongful conviction. Part two of a Guardian investigation finds a trail of dubious murder cases and a city considering the costs
Spencer Ackerman in Chicago Thu 19 Feb 2015 18.33 CET Last modified on Fri 23 Mar 2018 16.40 CETS hackled by his wrist to the wall and by his ankle to the floor, Lathierial Boyd waited for the detective to return to the Chicago police station. In what he considered a sign he had nothing to hide, the 24-year-old Boyd had given the white detective permission to search his swank loft. It would be clear, he thought, that Boyd was no murderer.
Yes, Boyd had sold drugs when he was younger. But he had turned a corner with his life, and the contents of his briefcase, which Boyd had also handed over, could prove where his money came from. His business papers were in order: contracts for his real-estate business, tax documents, the forgettable dealings of a successful man – hardly what a killer might carry. As soon as Detective Richard Zuley came back, Boyd thought, he’d be free.
A quarter-century later, Boyd remembered Zuley’s words when the detective returned from his well-heeled home: “No nigger is supposed to live like this.”
Thanks to the police work of Dick Zuley, whom Boyd describes as “evil”, an innocent man was found guilty of murder. The evidence connecting Boyd to the shooting of two men was non-existent: a suspicious piece of paper, eyewitnesses ruling him out from the scene, evidence ignored.
The detective and the convicted businessman would see each other again: at a 2004 court hearing, Zuley described himself as “on a leave of absence” from the Chicago police department, “assigned to the Joint Task Force at Guantánamo”.
And then, in 2013, after Boyd lived half his life in prison, the state of Illinois exonerated him, admitting that he should never have been prosecuted in the first place.
A Guardian investigation into Zuley’s police record and thousands of court documents – forgotten paperwork from old cases in Chicago, a new civil-rights lawsuit in federal court and the detective’s interrogation work for the US military at Guantánamo Bay – has found that Boyd was far from alone in facing brutality and manipulated justice. If anything, he is alone in going free.
During his 30 years as a detective on Chicago’s north side and his time inside the wartime prison at Guantánamo, Zuley wanted confessions. Whether they were true or not is less definitive.
In conversations with the Guardian from jail, three other people Zuley sent to prison – people who insist upon their innocence – describe being shackled through eyebolts for hours on end to precinct walls, giving Zuley’s police work in Chicago echoes of his interrogation work at Guantánamo. Zuley pursued murder suspects, often poor and black, who were flimsily linked to crime. With Lathierial Boyd, he appears to have hidden disconfirming evidence. With another man, Lee Harris, he turned on his own informant.
Allegations stemming from interviews and court documents suggest a kind of beta test in the ugly history of Chicago police abuse – which has robbed black and poor Americans of their health and freedom and still costs taxpayers millions in civil-rights payouts – for both the worst excesses of torture in the war on terrorism and a trail of convictions based on dubious confessions born of brutality.
It is unclear how many cases Zuley investigated. Rob Warden, who founded Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, said he had never heard of Zuley. But based on patterns from other Chicago police investigators, he said, the number of people Zuley put in prison likely “runs well into the double digits, perhaps the triple digits”.
Chicago police have yet to fulfill a freedom-of-information request on Zuley’s personnel file, and detailed lists of questions from the Guardian to Zuley’s attorney and a Chicago police department spokesperson went unresponded. Zuley, through a spokeswoman at his current job at the Chicago department of aviation, declined to participate in this and stories published by the Guardian on Wednesday, despite repeated attempts.
Yet greater transparency may be on the horizon. The Cook County state’s attorney’s convictions-integrity unit is now examining another case involving Zuley, and is seeking his complaint file from a Chicago police-review board.
Zuley may be unique, Warden said, in being a police officer who “graduated from Chicago to Guantánamo”. As a top Guantánamo torture investigator, retired Army major general Mark Furlow, told the Guardian: “Zuley was one of those individuals in such a unique situation that our processes, system of checks and balances at that time were unable to provide clear guidance.”
But Chicago has a longstanding history of police abuse, much of it racialized.
“There have been a number of really bad apples in the Chicago police department who unquestionably have railroaded unknown numbers of innocent people into prison,” Warden said.
The magnetic nature of these tiles adds an extra layer of challenge and excitement to playtime. The magnets allow the tiles to connect in various ways, enabling children to experiment with different structures and discover the principles of magnetism. This hands-on exploration fosters a deeper understanding of scientific concepts and encourages curiosity and discovery. Furthermore, Magid magnetic tiles can also be used to support early math and literacy skills. By manipulating the tiles, children can learn about basic shapes, colors, and patterns. They can also practice counting, sorting, and matching. Additionally, children can use the tiles to spell out words and create simple sentences, promoting early literacy development. In conclusion, Magid magnetic tiles are a versatile and educational toy that offers children a creative and engaging play experience. Through building and experimenting with these tiles, children can develop a range of skills, from cognitive and motor skills to problem-solving and scientific understanding. Magid magnetic tiles are a valuable addition to any early childhood setting and can provide hours of fun and learning for children of all ages..
Reviews for "5 Amazing Things You Can Build with Magid Magnetic Tiles"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Magid magnetic tiles. The magnets are not strong enough to hold the tiles together properly, so every time my kids tried to build something, it would fall apart. The quality of the tiles themselves is also not great - they feel cheap and flimsy. I ended up returning them and investing in a different brand that actually works.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - These Magid magnetic tiles are a complete waste of money. The magnets are so weak that it's impossible to build anything that stays together. My kids got frustrated within minutes and gave up. The tiles also feel very cheaply made and I doubt they would withstand much use. I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone looking for quality magnetic tiles.
3. Michael - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for the Magid magnetic tiles, but they turned out to be a letdown. The magnets are not strong enough to hold the tiles together firmly, which makes it difficult to create stable structures. Additionally, the tiles are quite thin and flimsy, making them easily breakable. I would suggest investing in a more reliable brand if you want magnetic tiles that actually work and last.
4. Emily - 1/5 stars - I found the Magid magnetic tiles to be a total disappointment. The magnets are too weak, causing the tiles to easily disconnect and collapse. My kids were frustrated and quickly lost interest in playing with them. The quality of the tiles also feels subpar - they feel cheap and not durable. I regret purchasing this product and would not recommend it.
5. David - 2/5 stars - The Magid magnetic tiles are not worth the money. The magnets are not strong enough to hold the tiles together securely, so any attempt at building something results in a collapsed structure. The tiles themselves also feel flimsy and easily breakable. I would advise looking for a better alternative to ensure an enjoyable and durable magnetic tile experience.