Contact:
Andy Shaw (312) 520-4999
Mary Frances O’Connor (773) 383-1009
CHICAGO—A special prosecutor’s report detailing police and prosecutorial investigations into David Koschman’s 2004 death at the hands of Richard J. Vanecko, a nephew of ex-Mayor Richard M. Daley, was released Tuesday. The document reveals troubling behavior by the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
The Better Government Association, a nonprofit and nonpartisan government watchdog organization, believes conduct by police and prosecutors, as outlined in the report, raises enough serious questions to warrant continuing investigation by, among others, the City of Chicago’s inspector general, the state’s executive inspector general, the Illinois attorney general and the U.S. attorney’s office.
Those questions include: Did police conspire to hide or otherwise manipulate documents relating to this case? Did investigators concoct a self-defense scenario for Vanecko? At whose direction did any of this occur?
In short, the BGA does not believe this report should be the last word on this important matter – even if the special prosecutor determined no state charges are warranted.
Police and prosecutors work for the public, and should be accountable to the public.
Based on the stellar reporting of the Chicago Sun-Times, the BGA filed an amicus brief in 2012 supporting the appointment of a special prosecutor.
Now that he has done his job, we support continued scrutiny and investigation to ensure absolute integrity in our criminal justice system and the better government we all deserve.
The BGA’s CEO and President Andy Shaw is available for interviews as necessary.
