Richard J. Daronco

Richard Joseph Daronco (August 1, 1931 – May 21, 1988) was an American lawyer and judge. Born in New York City, he studied at Providence College and Albany Law School before serving for several years in the United States Army. Daronco was first elected a judge of the Westchester County Family Court in 1971. Three years later, he was elected to the Westchester County Court. In 1978, Daronco was appointed by Governor Hugh Carey, and later that year elected, as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court. In 1987, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Daronco was on the federal bench for just over a year before he was assassinated at his home in Pelham, New York, by the father of a disgruntled plaintiff whose protracted sexual harassment lawsuit against her former employer had been dismissed by Daronco for lack of evidence. The Westchester County Courthouse and the Pelham Town House were both renamed in his honor.

Early life and education

Richard Joseph Daronco was born on August 1, 1931, in New York City. and Providence College in Rhode Island, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1953. He then attended Albany Law School, receiving his Bachelor of Laws in 1956. After graduating from law school, he served in the United States Army as a private, until 1958. Upon the end of his military service, Daronco entered private legal practice as a trial lawyer in New York City. The following year, he moved his practice to White Plains, New York. She sought $2.5 million (equivalent to $ in ), and had rejected two settlement offers of several hundred thousand dollars.

During the trial, Koster's father, Charles L. Koster, was asked to leave the courtroom several times for making disruptive noises and expressions. From 1971 to 1981, Charles Koster was a security guard employed by Chase Manhattan Bank. In 1969, he had retired from the New York City Police Department after twenty years as a mounted police officer.

During the course of the trial, Daronco discussed security measures with courthouse staff, as he expected an adverse reaction from Carolee Koster. However, he did not believe in extensive security precautions, and was described by his colleagues as "a trusting soul." He rarely had the courtroom's security camera and intercom system turned on, and even mentioned during the trial that he lived in Pelham, New York, where he had lived for most of his life. In his decision, he found that there was not a "scintilla of credible evidence" to support Koster's claims.

Shooting On May 20, 1988, Charles Koster drove from his trailer home in Bath, Pennsylvania, to Pelham. He stayed the night at an unknown location. Daronco tried to barricade himself in his study, where he collapsed and died. Once inside the house, Koster killed himself with a fatal shot to the head.

Legacy alt=Memorial plaque on the Richard J. Daronco Pelham Town House Daronco was the second of three federal judges to be killed in office in the 20th century. His funeral was held at St. Catherine's Roman Catholic Church in Pelham.

Because Daronco was on the federal bench for less than 18 months, his widow was ineligible to receive survivor's benefits under the Judicial Survivors' Annuity System. As a result, the United States Congress passed a private bill to compensate Daronco's widowed wife with the amount she would have received under the system, 25% of her husband's salary. who said that he intended to instead approve another bill that would provide benefits for surviving spouses of all assassinated federal judges. The alternative bill was signed into law the following month.

The Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, where Daronco had worked for many years as a state court judge, was renamed the Richard J. Daronco Westchester County Courthouse. The municipal building adjacent to the Pelham town hall was also renamed the Richard J. Daronco Town House.