Apologizing for his crime did not save Joseph P. Pinelle from a state prison sentence, as a Schuylkill County judge on Tuesday ordered him to spend one to two years behind bars for leaving his girlfriend's body in his apartment in June 2011 while he fled to New England.
"Anything less ... would depreciate the seriousness of this crime," Judge Charles M. Miller said of the sentence, in which he also required Pinelle to pay costs, $3,418 restitution and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and to submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. "We don't tolerate this type of conduct in Schuylkill County."
Pinelle, 61, of Pottsville, will spend the time in prison for abuse of a corpse, the charge to which he pleaded guilty Sept. 26. The prison sentence Miller imposed was the maximum possible under state law.
Pottsville police had charged Pinelle with leaving the body of Ruth Ann Golden, 45, of Pottsville, in 717 Mahantongo St., Apt. 1R, on June 6, 2011.
Police said Golden had arrived at that apartment about 3 a.m. and started a fight with Pinelle. Golden bit Pinelle's hands, left forearm and the left side of his stomach, police said.
In the course of the fight, Golden went limp, and Pinelle covered her body with a blanket and left the scene, according to police.
Pinelle fled to his sister's home in Cape Cod, Mass., but returned to Pottsville and contacted authorities June 7, police said.
Police said they went to the apartment in the early morning hours of June 8 and discovered Golden's body.
Assistant District Attorney Leo Breznik said after Tuesday's hearing that the restitution, which will be for funeral expenses, will go to JoAnn McNett, Golden's mother.
Then-Schuylkill County District Attorney James P. Goodman, who is now a county judge, decided Aug. 3, 2011, that he would not prosecute Pinelle for Golden's death, ruling that the killing was justifiable homicide.
"The use of force ... was legally justified because at the actual time of the event, Mr. Pinelle believed that such force was necessary for the purpose of protecting himself," Goodman said.
However, Goodman also decided Pinelle's delay in reporting Golden's death supported the filing of the charge of abuse of a corpse.
In his statement to the court, Pinelle expressed remorse for what he did.
"I want to apologize to the family and the court," said Pinelle, who was handcuffed and wearing a prison jumpsuit. "It was a stupid thing I did. I messed up."
Assistant Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson, Pinelle's lawyer, said her client did the right thing but not soon enough.
"This is a troubling situation," she said. "Mr. Pinelle panicked."
That was not enough in Miller's eyes for Pinelle to avoid state prison.
"You left that person ... in that predicament," he said. "You should have known better."
After Pinelle's sentencing, Breznik said the matter was bad for everyone.
"It was just an unfortunate situation," he said. "Nobody wins in this case."Defendant: Joseph P. Pinelle
Age: 61
Residence: Pottsville
Crime committed: Abuse of a corpse
Prison sentence: One to two years in a state correctional institution