From the Chicago Tribune, September 13, 2009.
“Kelly dies of possible overdose
Authorities say death may be suicide but are investigating it as homicide”
“Kelly, 51, who was to report to federal prison officials this week to start serving an 8-year sentence, died Saturday at Stroger Hospital in what authorities said was a possible suicide from an over-the-counter medication. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday, and police in Chicago and south suburban Country Club Hills are conducting a death investigation.
Kelly’s death ended a tumultuous year in his life. He twice pleaded guilty to federal charges. He was estranged from his wife. And he faced serious financial problems, partly due to gambling debts. But Kelly indicated he was not going to turn on Blagojevich despite pressure from prosecutors.”
“A street-smart businessman who used connections and savvy to make millions, Kelly parlayed his wealth into power before becoming a member of Blagojevich’s “kitchen cabinet” of advisers. He had been at the former governor’s side through much of his political life since he ran for governor.”
“The Cook County medical examiner’s office said Stroger Hospital officials told them that Kelly apparently died of an overintoxication of salicylate, a drug used in anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications such as aspirin.
Authorities said Kelly was in his 2007 Cadillac Escalade in the parking lot of a lumber yard at 173rd Street and Cicero Avenue in Country Club Hills — a few miles from his Markham office — Friday night when he began vomiting. Sources said a girlfriend of Kelly’s drove him to nearby Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County. The Escalade remained there Saturday afternoon, guarded by police.
A hospital spokesman said Kelly arrived at 11:15 p.m. and was treated and stabilized. But doctors determined he needed more care and transferred him to Stroger Hospital in Chicago, about 25 miles away.
Kelly arrived at Stroger by private ambulance at 5:15 a.m., hospital spokesman Marcel Bright said. Kelly was treated for several hours but pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., Bright said.
Investigators were still at the empty Forest Lumber yard Saturday night as they looked for evidence. The remote spot, opposite insect-filled cornfields near Interstate Highways 57 and 80, was taped off as officers used flashlights to search on hands and knees.
Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch said detectives were looking for cigarette butts or anything else that might be traced to potential witnesses.
Welch said authorities are investigating whether Kelly overdosed, possibly on over-the-counter medicines. The mayor also said Kelly vomited in the lumber yard’s parking lot.
Oak Forest Hospital officials alerted authorities of Kelly’s whereabouts about 3 a.m., Welch said.
“We are treating this as a death investigation — it’s a possible homicide or suicide, but it’s a high-profile case so we have a homicide level investigation,” Welch said.”
“Kelly made millions as a south suburban roofing contractor who secured million-dollar deals at O’Hare International Airport, Midway Airport and other city agencies. A roofing firm Kelly oversaw, BCI Commercial Roofing, along with an affiliated company, Castle Construction, were paid $7.6 million for work at O’Hare and Midway between 1999 and 2004.”
Read more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-christopher-kelly-dead-13sep13,0,3919783.story
Citizen Wells clarification
Do not let the fact that the federal prosecutors convicted Kelly because of his corruption involving O’Hare International Airport. Just as most of the corruption Blagojevich had to do with “pay to play” politics in Chicago and Illinois, Kelly was involved with Blagojevich, Rezko, Levine and ultimately Obama in the Planning Board rigging that corrupted the Mercy Hospital deal….Blagojevich, Kelly indictment
Thanks to commenter bob
Citizen WElls 