CHICAGO (AP) – A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit accusing the city of Chicago, police and state prosecutors of covering up the involvement of then-Mayor Richard M. Daley’s nephew in David Koschman’s death in 2004.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer Thursday ruled the statute of limitations expired on the federal suit, brought by Koschman’s mother. But Pallmeyer criticized the defendants, saying they didn’t “cover themselves in glory” in Koschman’s case.
Daley’s nephew, Richard J. Vanecko, punched the 21-year-old after an argument on a Chicago street. Koschman fell, struck his head and later died.
A series of Sun-Times’ stories on the death raised questions about whether justice was distorted in deference to Daley’s family. Vanecko pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Koschman’s death this year. He served 60 days in jail.