Kittanning man, 20, receives up to 5 years
KITTANNING — A third defendant will spend up to 5 years behind bars for his participation in the beating and stomping death of a Butler County man outside a borough bar nearly two years ago.
Anthony M. Bove, 20, of Kittanning on Tuesday was sentenced in Armstrong County Court to 20 to 60 months in the county jail.
In December, Bove pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree misdemeanor, in the death of 39-year-old James Sullivan of Donegal Township.
In exchange for the plea, prosecutors withdrew felony charges of homicide and aggravated assault.
Armstrong County Judge James Panchik, in handing down the maximum sentence allowed under the law for the charge, noted the brutality of the crime.
Specifically, he mentioned the “soccer style kick” that Bove delivered to the side of Sullivan’s head, moments after the victim was knocked out during the gang beating.
Bove was one of four men who state police arrested after Sullivan was killed during a St. Patrick’s Day brawl outside the Wick City Saloon on March 17, 2013.
Two other men — Dennis Andrew Rosenberger, 29, and Otilio Cosme, 45, both of Ford City — previously pleaded guilty in the case and have already been sentenced to jail time. Cosme is Bove’s stepfather.
Keith A. Brison, 34, of Kittanning, who also is charged in Sullivan’s death, is still awaiting trial.
Prosecutors said Rosenberger sucker-punched Sullivan, who was knocked to the pavement and rendered unconscious. Moments later, Bove and the others allegedly jumped on and kicked the defenseless Sullivan.
The victim was pronounced dead less than 90 minutes later at ACMH Hospital in East Franklin Township.
An autopsy ruled that he suffered two potentially fatal injuries — an injury to his skull and a severed vein in his stomach, which caused massive internal bleeding.
Rosenberger in July pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in state prison.
A month later, Cosme pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 18 to 36 months in prison.
Meanwhile, jury selection for Brison is scheduled to begin Monday. He is charged with homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault and harassment.
Panchik, in addition to jail time, ordered Bove to perform 100 hours of community service.
Bove was given credit for having spent 84 days in jail following his arrest and before his release on $25,000 unsecured bail.
Telephone calls to Bove’s court appointed attorney, Linda Ziembicki, and Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi were not returned Wednesday.
