No sale. You seem to be saying that Junta should never have left, but rather that he should have stayed and pummeled that seven-time jailbird punk Costin right after he got sucker punched and kicked at with skates.
So Junta left and came back - - good for him. I don't hold it against him, even if the jury did. I hope there's an appeal.
Nope, I was saying that Junta should have stayed out instead of seeking another confrontation with Costin. I was also discussing his plea. Self-defense could not have worked if he had 'stayed and pummeled' Costin, any more than it worked after he left and came back. But if Costin had been killed in the initial fight, a jury might have considered Junta's actions to have been self-defense. By leaving and coming back, Junta added an air of premeditation which made it difficult for the jury to believe he didn't mean to harm Costin. I am in no manner defending Costin for his role in his own death. I was saying that Junta's lawyer might have anticipated the the defense he'd chosen was weakened by Junta's returning after he was safely away from the first confrontation.
Junta seems to be a volcano, based on other stories about him. I can see a similar scenario playing itself out the first time a little league coach tried to discipline him for coming on the field and happened to put his finger in Junta's chest. I can see a similar scenario if Junta was involved in a fender-bender in which the other guy tried to put the blame on Junta. Disproportionate rage, ready fists. I just wonder if he had been drinking a beer or two the day he killed Costin. Alcohol enflames the hot-headed.