# Thomas Junta

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{{Short description|American criminal (died 2020)}}
{{Notability|Biographies|date=June 2020}}
'''Thomas Junta''' was an American [hockey dad](/source/Soccer_mom) from [Reading, Massachusetts](/source/Reading%2C_Massachusetts), who was convicted of [involuntary manslaughter](/source/Manslaughter) in 2002 after his attack on Michael Costin led to Costin's death.<ref>{{cite news|date=January 2, 2002|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hockey-dad-found-guilty/|title=Hockey Dad Found Guilty|publisher=[CBS News](/source/CBS_News)|accessdate=April 15, 2014|archivedate=April 15, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415160750/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hockey-dad-found-guilty/|url-status=live}}</ref> Costin was the informal referee of a [pick-up hockey](/source/pick-up_hockey) game involving the men's sons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-01-12/news/0201120086_1_thomas-junta-michael-costin-junta-s-family|title=Hockey Dad Guilty In Killing Of Coach|author=Harriet Ryan|newspaper=[Sun-Sentinel](/source/Sun-Sentinel)|date=January 12, 2002|archive-date=April 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415160615/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-01-12/news/0201120086_1_thomas-junta-michael-costin-junta-s-family|url-status=dead}}</ref> The attack and the fight which ensued was witnessed by about a dozen children, including Junta's son and Costin's three sons.

Junta was originally charged with [voluntary manslaughter](/source/manslaughter). The jury acquitted him on this charge, instead convicting him of involuntary manslaughter, a lesser offense, on the basis of his claim of self-defense.<ref>{{cite news|date=January 12, 2002|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jan/12/20020112-034844-9382r/?page=all|title=Jury convicts hockey dad of involuntary manslaughter|newspaper=[The Washington Times](/source/The_Washington_Times)|accessdate=April 15, 2014|archivedate=April 15, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415161418/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jan/12/20020112-034844-9382r/?page=all|url-status=live}}</ref> Judge [Charles Grabau](/source/Charles_Grabau) sentenced Junta to incarceration for six to ten years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/25/se.02.html|title=Hockey Dad Killer Gets Six to 10 Years in Prison|agency=[CNN](/source/CNN)|date=January 25, 2002|accessdate=April 15, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813054538/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/25/se.02.html|archivedate=August 13, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2008, Junta was denied parole for the second time. In denying his request, the Massachusetts [Parole Board](/source/Parole_board) said that "Junta had failed to fully accept responsibility for his actions".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.woburnonline.com/frontpage/april08/41108-3.html|title=Reading hockey dad denied parole release|publisher=[Woburn Daily Times](/source/Woburn_Daily_Times)|work=[Daily Times Chronicle](/source/Daily_Times_Chronicle)|accessdate=April 15, 2014|archivedate=April 15, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415161901/http://www.woburnonline.com/frontpage/april08/41108-3.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Junta was released on August 27, 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/man-released-from-mass-prison-after-serving-time-for-beating-death-of-fellow-hockey-dad/|title=Man Released From Mass. Prison After Serving Time for Beating Death of Fellow Hockey Dad|agency=[Fox News](/source/Fox_News)|date=August 27, 2010|access-date=April 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828195017/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/27/hockey-dad-released-prison-serving-time-beating-death-mass-father/|archive-date=August 28, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> He died on December 16, 2020, after a battle with cancer.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
THOMAS F. "TOMMY" JUNTA - Obituary - Charlestown, MA ...

CurrentObituary.com
https://www.currentobituary.com › obit
Dec 16, 2020

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929133624/http://www.courttv.com/trials/junta/ Court TV coverage of Thomas Junta, the hockey dad convicted of manslaughter]
*[http://usnewslink.web.aplus.net/rinkrage.htm RINK RAGE:The Killing of Michael Costin] USNewsLink, Judith Haney, 2002

{{DEFAULTSORT:Junta, Thomas}}
Category:1957 births
Category:2020 deaths
Category:American people convicted of manslaughter
Category:Deaths from cancer in Massachusetts
Category:Ice hockey people from Massachusetts
Category:People from Reading, Massachusetts

{{US-crime-bio-stub}}
Category:Prisoners and detainees of Massachusetts

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thomas Junta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Junta) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Junta?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.