Justice delayed — again — in Koschman case, union appeals stall discipline of cops

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Now that Nanci Koschman has settled her last legal claim over her son David Koschman’s death, one question still unsettled is whether anyone from the Chicago Police Department will face any punishment over the handling of the politically explosive case.

So far, not a single police officer has faced even a reprimand in the two years since special prosecutor Dan K. Webb concluded his investigation into Koschman’s death and into the police department’s failure to seek criminal charges against Mayor Richard M. Daley’s nephew for throwing the punch that killed Koschman 11 years ago.

Webb’s investigation, which he closed on Sept. 18, 2013, led to Richard J. “R.J.” Vanecko pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and serving two months in jail.

The former U.S. attorney said he also considered charging six police officials and detectives with official misconduct or obstruction of justice but decided there was “insufficient evidence” to convict them.

At Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s direction, police Supt. Garry McCarthy asked City Hall Inspector General Joseph Ferguson to investigate and recommend whether anyone from the department should be fired or otherwise disciplined.

But two police unions — representing sergeants and lieutenants — filed grievances that have stalled Ferguson’s investigation since last October, and all six cops remain on the job.

Three hold high-ranking positions under McCarthy: Area North Deputy Chief of Patrol Dean Andrews, Area South detective Cmdr. Joseph Salemme and Lt. Denis Walsh, who supervises detectives on the North Side. While under investigation, their paychecks have soared, records show. They are each on pace to make between $150,000 and $180,000 this year.

The state is God in Chicago.