Richard J. Daronco

Richard Joseph Daronco (August 1, 1931 - May 21, 1988) was a federal judge in the United States.

Daronco was born in New York City. He graduated from Providence College and Albany Law School, and practiced law in White Plains, New York from 1959 to 1971. In 1971, Daronco began his judicial career as a Judge of the New York Family court for Westchester County, on which he served from 1971 to 1974. Daronco served on the Westchester County Court from 1974 to 1979, and as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court from 1979 to 1987.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated Daronco to serve as a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Daronco was confirmed and took office on May 7, 1987.

During March and April 1988, Judge Daronco presided over a 10-day bench trial in a sex discrimination and sexual harassment case, in which the plaintiff represented herself. On May 19, 1988, Judge Daronco issued a written decision holding in the defendant employer's favor and dismissing the case.

On May 21, 1988, Charles L. Koster shot and killed Judge Daronco while the judge was doing yardwork at his home. Koster, a retired New York City police officer who was the father of the unsuccessful plaintiff in the discrimination case, then committed suicide. Daronco is believed to be one of three federal judges (two of whom were U.S. District Judges) to be killed in the line of duty in the twentieth century, together with John H. Wood, Jr. and Robert S. Vance. The Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, where Daronco had worked for many years as a state court judge, was later renamed in his memory, as was the municipal building in the town of Pelham, where Daronco lived.

"This article incorporates information obtained from the public domain" Biographical Directory of Federal Judges "compiled by the Federal Judicial Center."