A federal judge blasted the Chicago Police Department and Cook County state’s attorney’s office but threw out a lawsuit that accused police, prosecutors and City Hall of engaging in an “official cover-up” to keep former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s nephew Richard J. “R.J.” Vanecko from being charged in the death of David Koschman.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer cited the statute of limitations in dismissing the civil rights lawsuit filed by Nanci Koschman over her son’s death.
But Pallmeyer had harsh words for police and prosecutors, saying, “Many of the defendants . . . chose deliberately not to investigate [the case] or to exaggerate, twist or even manufacture evidence that minimized or exonerated Mr. Vanecko’s involvement.”
The judge urged the city and county to try to reach a settlement with the Mount Prospect widow.
