Jody Weis: Give Koschman witnesses polygraphs

Four friends of David Koschman told detectives earlier this year they’d be willing to take lie-detector tests to back up their recollections that Koschman wasn’t being physically aggressive when he was punched in the face by a nephew of Mayor Daley in a drunken confrontation in 2004 that led to his death.

It’s time for someone to take them up on that, former Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis says.

“Some of the witnesses have said, ‘Hey, the stories are different. We did not say this guy [Koschman] was the aggressor . . .’ ” Weis said. “If they’re willing to take polygraphs, that’s kind of a simple way to at least help you get pointed in the right direction.”

In an interview, Weis said he was the one who ordered a new set of detectives to re-examine the evidence in January, after the Chicago Sun-Times asked for documents from the 7-year-old case.

The police formally closed the investigation on March 1, which was Weis’ last day on the job. They concluded that Vanecko shouldn’t be charged because he acted in self-defense when he punched Koschman, 21, in the face about 3:15 a.m. on April 25, 2004. Koschman hit the back of his head on Division Street and died from a brain injury 11 days later.

via Jody Weis: Give Koschman witnesses polygraphs – Chicago Sun-Times.