California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Lawsuit in Revenge Killing Dismissed

A federal judge has ruled against the family of a former prosecutor slain by a man who swore revenge for being sent to prison more than 30 years earlier. The family of William Weissich had accused the government in a suit of breaking a promise to warn him that he was in danger from the former defendant. But U.S. District Judge Robert Schnacke dismissed the suit, ruling that the government bore no legal responsibility for the November, 1986, killing of Weissich by Malcolm Schlette. Weissich, Marin County district attorney from 1953 to 1960, prosecuted Schlette for arson in 1955. Schlette spent 20 years in prison and repeatedly vowed over the years to avenge himself on Weissich and others. Schlette entered Weissich’s San Rafael law office, shot him to death, then killed himself by taking poison as police pursued him.