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Hockey dad testifies victim 'went totally crazy'

Thomas Junta: "I just wanted him to stop hitting me."

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- A truck driver charged in the beating death of another hockey father at a Massachusetts ice rink testified Wednesday the other man "went totally crazy" during an argument about the roughness of a youth hockey practice.

Thomas Junta, the last man called to the stand in the case, said the fight "got way out of hand," but insisted he struck the man no more than three times.

"I just wanted him to stop hitting me," said Junta, 44, who outweighed the victim, Michael Costin, by more than 110 pounds.

Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday, after which the jury will consider the manslaughter charges against Junta. The defendant could face 20 years in prison if convicted.

The defense closed its case Wednesday, claiming Junta acted in self-defense against Costin.

Junta said Costin "went into my face" during an altercation July 5, 2000, following a youth hockey practice at Burbank Skating Arena in Reading, Massachusetts, that included both men's sons.

Other witnesses testified that Junta -- at 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds -- quickly overpowered Costin, pinned him to the ground and ignored repeated screams to stop the beating.

The 40-year-old single father was rendered unconscious in the fight and pronounced dead one day after the incident.

Junta presents his case

Dressed in a blue blazer, red tie and khaki pants, Junta said he saw some of the youngsters get into a fight during a drill and objected to Costin, who was supervising the practice.

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"He said, 'That's hockey. That's what it's all about,'" Junta said of Costin's response. Junta said he replied, "'It's not. It's supposed to be fun.'" Junta said his son was elbowed in the face later in the practice.

The dispute continued after practice, when Junta said a "confrontational" Costin -- dressed in hockey gear and wearing skates -- thrust out his chest and "bumped" him, initiating a brief scuffle.

Afterward, Junta left the arena but returned to get his son and his son's friend, he said. At that point, Costin attacked him, Junta said, describing Costin as "spitting and drooling."

"I didn't know what that guy was doing. ... It was crazy. I couldn't understand it," he said.

Prosecutor Sheila Calkins questioned Junta's claim that he could not break free from Costin, despite the weight difference and the fact Costin's back was pinned on the ground.

"You want this jury to believe that you couldn't get away from him?" she asked.

"Yes, I do, because that's the truth," said Junta, who during his testimony cited various ailments, including a hearing problem, bad knees and arthritis in his hands. "That's what happened. He had my wrist."

Calkins also pointed out differences between Junta's original statement to police -- in which he said the fight started as a "mutual" grab and he later got the "upper hand" -- and his assertion Wednesday that Costin was the aggressor.

Contrary testimony

A rink employee testified earlier this week that an angry Junta stormed into the rink after the first scuffle, ignored her demand that he leave, bruising her arm as he brushed her aside.

Junta denied Wednesday he grabbed or pushed the woman, saying he did not hear anything she said at the time.

In the second fight, several witnesses said they saw Costin on the ground with Junta over him punching him repeatedly in the head. One said she saw Junta punch the victim at least 10 times while others screamed for him to stop.

Earlier Wednesday, a medical examiner testified for the defense in support of its contention that Junta did not strike Costin as many times as other witnesses have said.

Dr. Ira Kanfer said one punch to the head could have caused Costin's death.

A "minimal amount of force is necessary to cause this type of injury," Kanfer said.

Calkins questioned Kanfer's credibility, saying he was being paid by the defense and had not reviewed the police reports.

Another medical examiner, Dr. Stanton Kessler, testified earlier in the trial that Costin's "brain was shaken so badly" that blood vessels ruptured, resulting in extensive bleeding in the brain and spinal column.

"A lot of trauma," Kessler said, also caused ligaments attached to the skull to stretch and hemorrhage.