Iroquois County State’s Attorney Jim Devine says he will not be filing any criminal charges in connection with the death of a 25-year-old suburban Chicago man who died after a fight outside the Dutchmaster’s Bar in Buckley.

Daniel Connolly died of suffocation while being subdued by two men following the fight on Christmas night.

A Ford County Coroner’s inquest ruled the death a homicide.
Devine said his office conducted “an extensive review” of the investigation into the death, consulted with Connolly’s family, and found the Iroquois County Sheriff Department’s investigation thorough.........

Illinois State Police were involved with the investigation and the Ford County Office of Doug Wallace conducted a thorough inquest. Devine said investigators were involved all along the way......

Should any credible evidence surface, Devine said the case would be reviewed. But at this time, no criminal charges will be filed.

The coroner’s jury ruled that Connolly’s death was a homicide; that Connolly died from positional asphyxiation due to his compromised position while being restrained.

Testimony from witnesses and medical personnel indicated Connolly was a willing participant in the fight, that he suffered from asthma, and he became unresponsive while being restrained by two other men. He was pronounced dead later at Gibson Area Hospital.

Police also reported Connolly and his brother had been asked to leave the bar when tension escalated inside the bar earlier. Police said the men did leave but later returned and it was Connolly who started battering another man outside the bar when words were exchanged.

The inquest evidence also revealed toxicology and histology results showed Connolly tested positive for a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.183 — plus cocaine and cannabis.

94.1 WGFA