Angela Pollina sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for murder of 8-year-old Thomas Valva on Long Island
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- The judge had harsh words Tuesday for Angela Pollina, and she got the maximum sentence in the death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva.
The little boy froze to death in the garage of her Center Moriches home three years ago.
"Ms. Pollina, is there anything you wish to say before I pronounce the sentence?" Suffolk Supreme Court Judge Timothy Mazzei said.
"No, your honor," Pollina said.
"No?" Mazzei said.
There were muffled gasps that no apology, remorse or confession were offered from Pollina to the memory of Valva, who she helped murder.
"It wasn't until I saw and heard what you said and did in this trial that I think we all realized how evil you really are," Mazzei said.
During the trial, Pollina took the stand, admitting her heartless acts of banishing Thomas and brother Anthony to the freezing garage of their Center Moriches home on Bittersweet Lane were "pure evil," but blamed her then-fiancé for carrying out the killing.
"She ruled that household with an iron fist and a tyrannical, and admittedly evil, cruel fashion," Suffolk County Assistant DA Kerryann Kelly said.
Prosecutors reminded the judge of Pollina's torture of the helpless child on the autism spectrum.
"Thomas was a profile in courage. He stared down the faces of evil he endured each day," Kelly said.
The courtroom was filled with Thomas' tearful teachers, and with emotional jurors.
"I had to come today. I felt like, we sat through weeks of trial. I had to see this to the end," juror Nick Pisano said.
When the boys' biological mother, Justyna Zubko Valva, lost custody, Valva's three sons moved in with Pollina's three daughters.
Emotional friends and relatives offered their thoughts after the sentencing.
"Thomas is part of my life now, part of my family," one said.
"It's three years of hell. I want to thank the DA," said another.
"We will continue to look into exactly what happeend in this case, to take testimony, to make recommendations," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.
Although some reforms have been made regarding case load and supervision, overdue investigations into Suffolk's child welfare system have not been completed.
Did putting Pollina on the stand backfire?
"She was worried about taking the stand. I think she wanted to admit what she did and fight for what she believed she didn't do," defense attorney Matthew Tuohy said.
"I've had the opportunity to visit the prison where you will be sent. My only regret, Ms. Pollina, is that they don't have a garage there with no heat, no mattress, no blankets, no pillows," Mazzei said.
He sentenced her to the maximum - 25 years to life.
Pollina will serve her sentence in Bedford Hills.
Michael Valva also got a sentence of 25 years to life.