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Pocono News Section
Baseball Bat Attacker Sentenced
Baseball Bat Attacker Sentenced - Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 6:15PM EST
Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Tuesday, Aug 11, 2009 @ 06:15pm EST
STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY - The man who beat two prominent Monroe County men with a baseball bat learned his fate Tuesday. Melvin Cowart beat the men in October of 2006. He spent about 18 months on the run then was captured and convicted.
Tuesday a judge sentenced him to between nine and 18 years in state prison. The judge said Cowart delivered a "savage and brutal" beating. But the attacker's family told Eyewitness News the Melvin they know is loving and good. His uncle Jonah Williams said, "He was very active in school, he worked, he is a very family orientated guy."
Cowart beat two men with a baseball bat in October of 2006. One was Monroe County Conservation official Craig Todd. The other was East Stroudsburg Mayor Armand Martinelli. Neither man attended Cowart's sentencing. Assistant District Attorney Mike Mancuso explained, "Oftentimes victims of violent crime don't want to keep reliving it. They want to put it away and move on."
Cowart's family apologized to the victims. Williams said, "We would like to deeply, deeply give our condolences to the family that is suffering." But he insists Cowart is innocent.
Prosecutors believe Cowart fooled his family. Mancuso said, "Mr. Cowart would put on a certain air when dealing with his own family then he would with his friends, girlfriends that sort of thing."
Though Todd and Martinelli received the beatings, many people in court said their families and Cowart's family are also victims of the crime. Williams said, "It's a sad tragic thing that such has happened to both families."
Cowart's attorney said he will likely appeal. | | |
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