Hockey dad freed on $5G bail, victim's kin outraged

Thomas Junta at his arraignment yesterday

By Jessica Heslam

July 11, 2000 Web posted at: 3:23 PM EDT (1923 GMT)

READING, Massachusetts (The Boston Herald) -- A Reading man accused of beating to death a father of four is at home today after his family came up with $5,000 cash bail, but some relatives and friends of the dead man are outraged his accused killer was set free.

``It's ridiculous,'' said Denise Costin, a close cousin of Michael A. Costin, 40, who died Friday, two days after a brawl with Thomas Junta. ``You can beat somebody senseless and just walk out of here.''

Junta, 42, who turned himself in to authorities about noon yesterday at Woburn District Court, pleaded innocent to a charge of manslaughter at his arraignment later in the day.

According to the medical examiner's report, a broken blood vessel behind Costin's ear brought on by the punches was the cause of death. Investigators said the injury happens occasionally with boxers and is the main reason prosecutors are seeking manslaughter charges rather than first- or second-degree murder.

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``Intent to fight is not the same as intent to kill,'' said Anson Kaye, spokesman for Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley.

One source said other people might not have died from the same beating.

As more than a dozen of Junta's friends and relatives looked on, prosecutor Gerard Butler outlined the events leading up to Wednesday's fatal fight.

Junta, who was watching his 10-year-old son play hockey at a stick practice at Burbank Ice Arena in Reading, became enraged at Costin for not doing enough to stop roughhousing and checking among the players. Costin was on the rink playing with his three sons.

``Junta came onto the ice screaming at Costin and demanding he do more to intercede,'' Butler said as the broad, 6-foot-1, 270-pound Junta looked down and bit his lip.

A funeral was held today for Michael A. Costin

Butler said Junta approached Costin, who weighed 170 pounds at nearly 6 feet tall, as he went into the locker room, swore at him and the two began grabbing one another. Junta was kicked out of the rink by an employee.

Investigators said Junta initially left the rink with his son but returned to get his son's two friends who accompanied them and were still in the arena.

Costin, by chance, was coming out of the rink at the same time, Butler said.

Both men squared off and began delivering blows, with Junta getting the upper hand.

``He threw Costin to the floor and began to beat him in the head and neck,'' said Butler.

Junta has a history of assaultive behavior, Butler said.

In 1992, Junta was charged with assault and battery on a police officer and malicious destruction of property for an incident in the North End. Junta pleaded to sufficient facts and the case was continued without a finding for three months. He has no adult criminal convictions, his attorney said.

Before the arraignment, Junta's attorney, Thomas Orlandi Jr., said Junta felt deep remorse for Costin's death.

``He's just a big, gentle giant,'' said Junta's brother, James Junta, 40, of Braintree. ``He walks away from fights. From what I heard, the man seriously provoked him, giving him a hard time.''

``I feel bad for him and his family, but my brother defended himself. (My brother) has cried over (Costin's) kids losing their father. He feels terrible about it.''

A family friend said Costin was a great father who had turned his life around. Costin, a part-time carpenter, had a lengthy criminal history, including illegal gun possession and assault and battery on a police officer, that dates from the late 1970s and mid-1990s.

At Costin's family home in Lynnfield, relatives gathered after yesterday's wake.

Costin's sister, Mary Barbuzzi, said the family was trying to be strong for Costin's four children.

``We'll let the courts decide,'' Costin's brother-in-law, Anthony Barbuzzi, said of the manslaughter charge and bail set for Junta. ``We just want to help them (the children) get through this.''

Funeral is today for father killed in hockey rink fight

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