Hockey Dad gets 6-10!

1/25/02 | WABC News Radio

[chriservative]

Thomas Junta sentenced 6 to 10 years. Breaking . . .

[cactusSharp]

ditto TxAggie(the best university this side of heaven BTW) I'm troubled by the sentence personally, 16 mo is about right for serving imho. I however would have given a year and 5 yrs probation

[DoughtyOne]

The dead man may have, but this morning the judge listed Junta's past. He was forced to live outside the home for a period of time by court order.

[dennisw]

He'll be out in four is my bet. He'll have it OK in prison where he will find many old Charlestown etc. friends.

[cactusSharp]

ditto FR that is news, but unproven as of yet TO ME

[FR_addict]

You were right. I found the article. I'm surprised that it didn't come up before that the defendent had beat his wife. I think it is relevant to the case.

[MJM59]

Not near long enogh. He should rot in prison.

[gramho12]

From what I heard about the background on this, not reported by the media, is that Costin had been jailed for a time, attacked Junta not just with a skate but with karate kicks. I'm sorry the guy is dead, but Junta was defending himself. Also, there is no record of any criminal behaviour in Junta's background.

[coton_lover]

Wouldn't it have been better if he served probation but had to support Costin's kids instead of the government? Grandpa most likely does not have the money to do it on his own. Grandpa is going to take full advantage of the system to help support the grandkids. No one has a King Solomon mind anymore. Everyone wants quick and fast solutions. Most of the posts that I have read are happy that Junta is going to prison for so long. Seems to me that these people are happy that two families may be going on welfare. So open up your pocket books and start paying. Remember, Hilary says it takes a village. We should come back to this in six years and see how the kids on both sides are doing based on this judgement and who is supporting who?

[Texaggie79]

I however would have given a year and 5 yrs probation

Yup, I think I would go for the appeal of sentence, for the sake of Junta's kids.

[gridlock]

Junta's lawyer was incompetent because he did not properly prepare his client. He should have told Justin that if he went into court a pound over 180#, the jury was going to put him away for a long time. This case was all about the perception of the reletive size of the combatants. The jury took one look at Junta, and thought that it was not a fair fight. If there was the perception that it was a fair fight between evenly matched individuals, then most people would let this one go. If Junta had been a slim-trim beanpole at trial, the jury would not have had a reason to convict.

He had a whole year and a half to lose the wieght. If I had been his defense attorney, the most valuable people on my team would have been Junta's personal trainer and dietician.

[keepinitreal]

I retract the skate in his hand statement, he was wearing the skate, sorry. He was still kicking him with the skate, which is a weapon.

[Is2C]

"Junta was defending himself against an attacker, with a skate in his hand. He went a little to far and a man got killed, but what did this idiot expect attacking a 270 lb man. I'm sorry but if someone came at me with skate in his hand, I wouldn't kill him but he'd sure have a mess on his hands." keepinitreal

"a railroad job" Lexington Green

"He's attacked by a guy with a skate and gets 6-10 for self defense." Bommer

"Over a 12 year period Costin had i believe 10 runins with the law including assaulting a police officer." alisasny

From CNN:

"Costin had four children, ages 11 through 14. His father, Gus, said Costin had a drinking problem and had been in and out of prison for much of his adult life. But in the final few years of his life, he had quit drinking and was working steadily as a carpenter and painter."

"Junta's wife was granted a restraining order against her husband in 1991 when she alleged he beat her continuously in front of their two children and another child. A court ordered Junta out of the couple's Charlestown neighborhood apartment and gave his wife temporary custody of the children."

"In 1992, police arrested Junta on charges he punched a Boston police officer and ripped a gold chain off his neck, according to court documents. Junta was not convicted -- the case was continued without a finding after he admitted to sufficient facts -- but a Boston Municipal Court judge ordered him to pay the officer $250 in restitution."

Sounds to me like Junta had more of a history of attacking others than Costin did. I've been suspicious ever since I found out that Junta was on top of Costin beating his head into the floor - strange way to defend yourself.

[coolworx]

"He should rot in prison"

This is outrageous! The Judge took into account that Junta had a DV arrest (not even a conviction) eleven years ago, but doesn't take into account Costin's repeated convictions - several involving violence in which he served numerous sentences??!

That little napolean bit off more than he could handle and got dead. Junta should be awarded a medal for ridding us of the scourge.

[Clemenza]

Mr. Junta is an embarassment to Massachusetts and the nation. I never understood it when I used to see grown men fighting at sporting events (my grandfather would do this at the track up to the day he died, on occasion). You're supposed to leave that stuff behind at the playground. Mr. Junta was the classic bully who never got knocked on his a-s and continued to act the thug as long as he got away with it. Additionally, if you are childish enough to get involved in fisticuffs, you are supposed to know when to quit. The fact that Mr. Junta did not is indicative of the inhuman scumbag he truly is.

[FreeTally]

Don't listen to that BS. Costin did not attack him with a skate. No one testified to that. Its an urban legend that a few still want to believe. At worst, during teh first altercation, before Costin was killed, Costin still had his skates on. But he did not have one in his hand. Im sick and tired of even hearing this.

[Neckbone]

This man is a meatheaded bullying anachronism. The Juntas of the world who define "a wife's place" with their fists and meet all conflict with violence serve no purpose in this society. He should be chained to his incarcerated peers, worked until he expires, and then made into dog food.

My ideas regarding criminal justice are maybe not as focussed on the delicate sensibilities of these animals, but would result in a far lesser rate of recidivism.

[keepinitreal]

Agreed

[michaelje]

WHat in the world were you doing there ? I drove past it and its a scary place.

[FreeTally]

Junta had NO WOUNDS to support the "skate" allegations. Sorry.