Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Thomas Junta's Defense Attorneys Have Been Presenting Their Case
Aired January 09, 2002 - 07:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now to the disturbing story of a deadly fight between two fathers in front of their sons. Thomas Junta's defense attorneys have been presenting their case, explaining why their client beat to death another man at a hockey practice. The children of both men witnessed the fight and yesterday the son of the accused took the stand.
When asked by prosecutors to explain why he cried that night, the 12-year-old boy responded he had never seen anything like that before.
CNN's Bill Delaney has more from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Emotion hard to imagine, with just 20 feet or so separating Thomas Junta, accused of manslaughter, from his young son seated before him, off camera, in a Cambridge, Massachusetts courtroom in the witness stand.
THOMAS ORLANDI, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And how old are you now?
VOICE OF THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: Twelve.
DELANEY: The defense calling Junta's son to support his father's contention he killed Michael Costin only in self-defense, beating him to death following a dispute over roughness at a pick up hockey game Costin supervised at a rink outside Boston. Junta's son said he came for a non-contact game, winding up with his father watching, elbowed in the throat and in tears.
VOICE THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: They were hitting us with their slashing, tripping and cross checking.
ORLANDI: OK.
VOICE OF THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: And elbowing.
DELANEY: Junta's complaints about the fighting escalating to a deadly brawl the defense says Costin started, an assertion supported by another witness, college hockey player Ryan Carr, who also suggested he didn't see Junta use excessive force. That's supported by other testimony from Junta's son.
ORLANDI: What, if anything, was Mr. Costin doing with his body at that time?
VOICE OF THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: He was trying to punch and kick my dad to get him off.
ORLANDI: OK.
VOICE OF THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: Like his hands off him.
ORLANDI: OK. And what, if anything, was your dad doing at that time?
VOICE OF THOMAS JUNTA'S SON: My dad hit him three quick times, really quick.
DELANEY: Other witnesses, though, earlier in the day, saying they saw tremendous horrifying brutality.
VIRGINIA BRINGS, WITNESS: It's something that I'll never forget. He went on and on and I kept hollering and saying stop. And I was thinking the whole time, he's either going to kill this man or he's going to have brain damage.
DELANEY: The prosecution having rested, a case that continues to boil down to did Junta act in self-defense, and if he did, did he go too far?
(on camera): When the defense resumes Wednesday, testimony is expected from a medical expert, possibly another child witness, and possibly from Thomas Junta himself in his own defense.
Bill Delaney, CNN, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
