Former Chicago Mayor's Nephew Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter

Richard Vanecko, nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, was charged with involuntary manslaughter over an altercation outside a Chicago bar back in 2004 that led to the death of David Koschman.

The police have long held Koschman responsible for the events that led to his death, claiming he provoked the fight between himself and David Vanecko, which lead to a punch that put him in a coma. Eleven days later, his mother decided to take him off life support.

“When that detective came in and said it was all your son’s fault, it’s all his responsibility, that’s like a knife through a mother’s heart,” Nanci Koschman told ABC7 in Chicago. 

I never went out with the thought that R.J. Vanecko went out to hurt my son that night, but all along the police and the detectives made it sound like it was all David’s fault, and that was all I wanted the record cleared… that David was not at fault that night, that he didn’t cause his own death.

Since the police thought Mr. Koschman was the aggressor, they and two state attorneys did not pursue charges against Mr. Vanecko. 

Now, however, a grand jury, led by former US attorney Dan Webb, charged Vanecko with involuntary manslaughter. They will also investigate if law enforcement decided to look the other way when they found out Mayor Daley’s nephew was involved.

“I believe that this office has handled this case with the utmost integrity from the get-go,” claimed Cook County Attorney Anita Alvarez. “So the investigation is continuing. I don’t want to comment any further.”

Mr. Vanecko’s legal team is confident when the evidence is brought out in court their client will be found not guilty.