This is beyond evil, but do we now have to outlaw nail guns?
Source
Nail Gun Killing: Guilty
By MATTHEW HAY BROWN
The Hartford Courant
February 01, 2001
NEW BRITAIN - A former contractor pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the nail-gun slaying of a man who was his business partner and brother-in-law.
Richard Tinto faces 25 to 35 years in prison in the 1998 killing of John Leitao. Tinto's plea reversed his earlier not-guilty plea. Had the case gone to trial, he could have been sentenced to up to 60 years.
Gina Leitao wept in New Britain Superior Court as prosecutor Scott Murphy recounted how Tinto, her brother, killed her husband. The men had been working at a house on Indian Hill Road in Newington on Sept. 9, 1998, when Tinto fired nine 3¼-inch nails into John Leitao's head, driving seven through his left eye and into his brain, Murphy said. A third man, employee George Kowalczyk, is accused of holding Leitao while Tinto pulled the trigger.
Tinto, 38, listened with his head bowed, occasionally shaking his head slightly. Asked by Judge William L. Wollenberg for his plea, he responded quietly, "Guilty."
"All this time, you're surmising and suspecting," Gina Leitao said after marshals led Tinto away. "It's another thing to hear it from his lips. It's like the whole world comes crashing down around us. Nothing can prepare you for this."
John Leitao and Richard Tinto had been friends since high school, each marrying the other's sister, and ultimately going into business together. But the friendship soured as Connecticut Valley Contractors foundered, according to court papers. The two sometimes argued over money. Kowalczyk told police that all three sometimes popped illegal pills to "ease stress" and "take the edge off."
By September 1998, according to court papers, Leitao was angry about a lien on a house they were trying to fix and sell, and upset that Tinto had charged a pickup truck to the cash-strapped business. Tinto was angry with Leitao, according to one affidavit, because he believed Leitao was abusing his sister. Gina Leitao and other family members said Wednesday that John Leitao never abused her.
Tinto also had money as a motive, according to court papers. Tinto once mentioned that his sister would collect $100,000 in insurance money if Leitao died, and that some of the money would pay loans Tinto had made to Leitao. Tinto was arrested in December 1998.
Now he is due for sentencing on March 15. His attorney, T.R. Paulding, says Tinto will offer "an explanation, if not an excuse," for the killing. Family members also will have the opportunity to speak. The state will argue for a 35-year sentence; Paulding will argue for 25.
The case of Kowalczyk, charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, is pending.
Edited to fix formatting problem. - TBM
[Edited by TheBluesMan on 02-01-2001 at 11:04 AM]
Source
Nail Gun Killing: Guilty
By MATTHEW HAY BROWN
The Hartford Courant
February 01, 2001
NEW BRITAIN - A former contractor pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the nail-gun slaying of a man who was his business partner and brother-in-law.
Richard Tinto faces 25 to 35 years in prison in the 1998 killing of John Leitao. Tinto's plea reversed his earlier not-guilty plea. Had the case gone to trial, he could have been sentenced to up to 60 years.
Gina Leitao wept in New Britain Superior Court as prosecutor Scott Murphy recounted how Tinto, her brother, killed her husband. The men had been working at a house on Indian Hill Road in Newington on Sept. 9, 1998, when Tinto fired nine 3¼-inch nails into John Leitao's head, driving seven through his left eye and into his brain, Murphy said. A third man, employee George Kowalczyk, is accused of holding Leitao while Tinto pulled the trigger.
Tinto, 38, listened with his head bowed, occasionally shaking his head slightly. Asked by Judge William L. Wollenberg for his plea, he responded quietly, "Guilty."
"All this time, you're surmising and suspecting," Gina Leitao said after marshals led Tinto away. "It's another thing to hear it from his lips. It's like the whole world comes crashing down around us. Nothing can prepare you for this."
John Leitao and Richard Tinto had been friends since high school, each marrying the other's sister, and ultimately going into business together. But the friendship soured as Connecticut Valley Contractors foundered, according to court papers. The two sometimes argued over money. Kowalczyk told police that all three sometimes popped illegal pills to "ease stress" and "take the edge off."
By September 1998, according to court papers, Leitao was angry about a lien on a house they were trying to fix and sell, and upset that Tinto had charged a pickup truck to the cash-strapped business. Tinto was angry with Leitao, according to one affidavit, because he believed Leitao was abusing his sister. Gina Leitao and other family members said Wednesday that John Leitao never abused her.
Tinto also had money as a motive, according to court papers. Tinto once mentioned that his sister would collect $100,000 in insurance money if Leitao died, and that some of the money would pay loans Tinto had made to Leitao. Tinto was arrested in December 1998.
Now he is due for sentencing on March 15. His attorney, T.R. Paulding, says Tinto will offer "an explanation, if not an excuse," for the killing. Family members also will have the opportunity to speak. The state will argue for a 35-year sentence; Paulding will argue for 25.
The case of Kowalczyk, charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, is pending.
Edited to fix formatting problem. - TBM
[Edited by TheBluesMan on 02-01-2001 at 11:04 AM]