Lawyer: Thomas Valva's father is 'emotionally distraught' over son's death
Thomas Valva’s death from hypothermia in an unheated garage was a tragic accident and the boy’s NYPD officer father is “emotionally distraught” over the boy’s death, the man’s new court-appointed attorney said Thursday.
John LoTurco, a Garden City-based defense attorney, was appointed Thursday to serve as a lawyer for Michael Valva, 40, of Center Moriches, after the NYPD officer charged with Thomas’ death was deemed “indigent” and unable to pay for his own attorney.
“Michael Valva is emotionally distraught over the death of his son Thomas Valva, however we contend that Thomas’ death was a nightmarish accidental death and clearly not a murder,” LoTurco said in a written statement he read to reporters after he and his client appeared briefly before Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice William Condon. “Michael Valva is now being portrayed as a monster, when in actuality he’s a caring father of three boys and his fiancees’ three daughters.”
LoTurco, who said he is being assisted on the case by prominent defense attorney Anthony LaPinta, added that he is contemplating seeking a change of venue because of the pre-trial publicity in the case.
“The media, his estranged wife and the Suffolk district attorney has vilified him and sensationalized this story whereby it is almost impossible to obtain a fair trial in this jurisdiction on his behalf. Nonetheless, we vow to provide him with the most zealous representation possible. The district attorney has descried the living environment at his home as a house of horrors. Yet, this is far more complex. In actuality, the Valva home was a 2,800 square foot, four bedroom, beautiful colonial home in a lovely neighborhood filled with love, six children, toys, stuffed animals, games, closets filled with expensive clothing, family photos and mementos.”
Thomas’ mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva, said after court that Valva was hiding money and it was unacceptable that Valva was receiving a taxpayer-funded attorney.
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I'm admittedly ashamed that I'm remotely curious what this evil monster will be spewing about an "accident" -- how do your sons go to school in urine soaked clothing, starving, bruised - and he has the nerve to even attempt to explain his death as a nightmarish accident?
I don't know how these court appointed attorneys do it, honestly.