Koschman family attorneys critical of only cops being punished
This story has been updated to add a reponse from State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and clarify the special prosecutor's statement regarding the involvement of former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Lawyers for the family of a Mount Prospect man killed 12 years ago after a fight with the nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley are applauding actions by Chicago police officials to fire or suspend officers involved in the death investigation.
However, they remain critical of Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's handling of the case and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's response to the recent inspector general's report that spurred the police disciplinary action. Lawyers for the family are demanding the materials from the special prosecutor's grand jury investigation be released.
David Koschman, a 21-year-old from Mount Prospect, died 12 days after suffering a head injury April 25, 2004, in an early morning scuffle outside a Chicago bar with Daley's nephew Richard "R.J." Vanecko. Vanecko, who was nearly a foot taller than Koschman and outweighed him by more than 100 pounds, was accused of throwing a single punch that knocked Koschman to the ground, where he struck his head and suffered a brain injury. Koschman never regained consciousness.
Police and prosecutors initially declined to charge anyone with a crime despite Koschman's death being ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner. Eventually, a special prosecutor was named to investigate the case again and indicted Vanecko. Vanecko pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2014 and served 60 days in jail, 60 days of home confinement and 2+ years of probation. Koschman's mother, Nanci, settled lawsuits against the city and Alvarez's office for a combined $300,000.
Earlier this week, a city inspector general's report was released regarding the police department's handling of the case. Interim Chicago Police Superintendent John Escalante moved to fire the lieutenant in charge of the initial investigation and plans to suspend two sergeants. Escalante said the trio didn't follow proper procedure during the initial investigation, that the lieutenant tampered with the case files and that the two sergeants closed the case without interviewing witnesses.
Nanci Koschman did not respond to requests for an interview, but her attorneys Locke Bowman and G. Flint Taylor released a joint statement on her behalf.
"This case is emblematic of the need for open, fair and impartial enforcement of the law," the statement read. "Now that the disciplinary investigation has been completed, it's time to release the grand jury materials from the special prosecutor's investigation, and to make public the role of former Mayor Daley and his family in the cover-up."
The special prosecutor stated he found no evidence of Daley attempting to influence the case.
Koschman's lawyers said the disciplinary action against the officers was long overdue and suggested other officials should be punished as well.
"We're particularly troubled that the inspector general's finished report apparently languished for an extended period in Mayor Emanuel's office and we're appalled that some of the involved police officers may have been permitted to resign and collect pensions rather than face any repercussions for the mishandling of this case," the lawyers' statement read. "We also find it disappointing that State's Attorney Alvarez and her subordinates have thus far escaped responsibility for their important role in this decadelong cover-up."
Alvarez released a statement saying her office cooperated fully with the special prosecutor, who concluded that there was "no evidence of any kind to suggest that any employee of the state's attorney's office recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally violated Illinois law" in the case during her admnistration. She was elected in 2008.
Asked for comment, Emanuel's office referred reporters to Escalante's statement.