Murder

Two men who pleaded guilty to their roles in the 2007 beating death of a man in Palmerton were sentenced Monday in County Court after tearful accounts of the tragedy by the victim's family.

As part of plea bargains that came after two days of testimony in May, Joseph Roscioli and Michael Harrison of Wilson were sentenced to two to four years in state prison, followed by three years' probation, for causing the death of 63-year-old Man more than a year ago.

He died of injuries from a melee in downtown Palmerton that began after the man accused Roscioli, Harrison and two 15-year-olds of throwing a carton of iced tea on his car. A surveillance tape showed Harrison shoving Him, who hit his head on the sidewalk, lapsed into a coma and died two weeks later.

''My dad gave me a huge smile and told me he'd be back soon,'' said the' daughter, Elissa. ''That was the first promise he had ever broken.''

Roscioli and Harrison pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, simple assault and reckless endangerment. Roscioli also pleaded guilty to furnishing alcohol to minors and corruption of minors for supplying a bottle of tequila to Harrison and the two 15-year-old boys before the fight on Delaware Avenue.

''They took his life, and they took mine, too,'' said his wife, adding that she suffers from depression and anxiety, which have left her unable to work and often unable to get out of bed.

''There isn't anything I can say or do to bring back your loved one,'' Roscioli told the wife and other members of the family. ''I greatly regret my involvement. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the people who were hurt.''

The son said he appreciated Roscioli's apology but told Judge David Addy that he ''never could have wished for a better dad'' and said he was ''robbed of that by people who meant nothing'' to him and his family. ''To say I'm angry is an understatement; shattered doesn't even come close,'' he said.

Both defendants requested time in state prison, even though the plea bargain originally called for time in county prison.

''There are more opportunities for rehabilitation, and I can learn a trade,'' Harrison told Addy. ''I want to get my GED or, because of my age, my high school diploma.''

Harrison, who also apologized to the Higgins family, was 17 at the time of the fight, but Assistant District Attorney Michael S. Greek petitioned the court to transfer the case to adult court.

''I don't have the power to put right the wrongs that were committed,'' Addy told the Higgins family. ''I can't imagine losing a family member in such a senseless act by young people who were acting like punks.''

''I have no doubt that you're turning into a career criminal,'' Addy told Harrison. ''If you cause harm to anyone ever again, you'd better pray that I'm either dead or retired.''

Harrison violated the conditions of his bail last month by testing positive for marijuana and failing to report to his probation officer. He is to undergo mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations, maintain full-time employment, and have no contact with the victim's family or any of the co-defendants upon his release.

Both defendants will receive credit for time already served, which includes 412 days for Roscioli and 89 days for Harrison, and each must pay prosecution costs, plus $6,813.28 each in insurance, funeral, and medical costs.

One of the 15-year-olds who took part in the fight also pleaded guilty to aggravated and simple assault in juvenile court and was sent to a detention facility. The other was not charged.