Teh One Who Knocks
03-04-2017, 12:27 PM
By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com
http://i.imgur.com/hDL3fGN.jpg
Royce Atkins apologized Friday for failing to stop and help 9-year-old Darious Condash after he drove into and killed the child.
But the 23-year-old Hanover Township man's apology rang hollow in light of callous and expletive-filled comments he made to his father and girlfriend in phone calls recorded at Northampton County Prison.
"I really hope the judge here realizes this s--t is being blown out of proportion," Atkins said in a phone call on Jan. 6. "That family, they are reacting like they're the victims. What about my family? My family is the victims too."
Northampton County Judge Michael Koury sentenced Atkins to four to 10 years in state prison, a year above the three-year mandatory minimum sentence but a year below the statutory maximum of five to 10 years.
Atkins earned the sentence because he's a "heartless human being who lacks a social conscience," Koury said.
Condash died on Nov. 6, 2015, after Atkins struck him on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township. Atkins didn't see Condash and wasn't responsible for the crash, but was charged after he drove away without stopping to help.
He concealed the crime until witnesses led police to him.
Atkins was convicted at trial in November and the judge granted his request to push back the sentencing date to Friday after his family fired attorney John J. McMahon Jr. and hired Phil Lauer to take over after the trial.
Resistance on the part of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Lupackino and Koury to delay the sentencing apparently irked Atkins.
"The D.A. was there and he was like 'I don't want the sentencing to be pushed back because the victim's family wanted to get closure.' That pissed me off. I was like 'Are you kidding me? The victim's family?' And that pissed me off," he said in a Jan. 6 phone call.
"I just hate that D.A. He's such an a-- h---," Atkins said in another phone call that day.
"My god the judge is a f-----g piece of s--t. He's like a real f-----g scumbag," he said on Feb. 17.
His request to be released on bail to treat an ingrown toenail was denied. Atkins speculated the presence of members of Condash's family convinced Koury to rule against him.
"I don't know. I was just so f-----g disappointed. The judge was such a f-----g d--- bag," he said Feb. 17. "All this b--- s--t. There's just so much b-- s---t. They just talk out of their a-- like crazy."
And in another phone call Atkins questioned why Condash's family kept showing up on his court dates.
"I really wanted to say to them, 'Like, don't you f-----g people have jobs?' I really wanted to say that to them," he said, later adding in another phone call, "I literally have no remorse for them whatsoever any more. It makes me f-----g sick."
Lauer said Atkins was frustrated with himself for not stopping that day and had a hard time coming to grips with his involvement in Condash's death. The real Royce Atkins is an Eagle Scout and a good kid, Lauer said.
Most Eagle Scouts would have stopped to help Condash, Lupackino said.
"He should have known better," Lupackino said. "The way he acted was the complete opposite of what the Boy Scouts preach."
Lauer said Atkins was frustrated because supporters of Condash made an obscene gesture at him during a prior court hearing. He said he's been called a murderer by the family even though he wasn't charged will killing Condash, just failing to help him.
Condash had bought candy at a nearby convenience store. He realized after he crossed the road that he had dropped a piece, so he ran back and was bending over to pick up the candy when Atkins struck him.
Lauer said Condash's family posted negative things about Atkins on social media and got him fired from his job as a mechanic. All of these factors pushed Atkins to make the inappropriate comments he did, Lauer said.
"He's a young man and by any standard an immature young man," Lauer said. "He's upset. He's frustrated. He's embarrassed."
Atkins apologized to the family, adding "no one should ever have to bury their own children."
"Things just happened so quickly. I just wish that things had been different," he told Condash's family in court Friday. "I just wish it had never happened to you. I don't know. I'm sorry. I just hope that one day you can forgive me. I'm sorry. That's all I really have to say."
Condash's mother said she'll never forgive Atkins.
"I'm very angry over the loss of my son and there are no words that you can say that will make me change or make me feel any better," said Siomara Merced to Atkins.
She asked for the maximum sentence allowed by law, adding "any time he serves would not measure up to the talented, amazing life of Darious Condash."
Koury said what you say in private is more indicative of your true feelings than a public apology.
"I believe the statements he made regarding the court evidence a total lack of respect for the court system and the jury's verdict," Koury said.
Condash's mother said Atkins' final judgment is yet to come.
"Today is not just your ultimate judgment day," Merced told Atkins. "Your final day is coming one day. And I hope everything you said in this court was the right thing because you will have to answer to that one person above."
http://i.imgur.com/hDL3fGN.jpg
Royce Atkins apologized Friday for failing to stop and help 9-year-old Darious Condash after he drove into and killed the child.
But the 23-year-old Hanover Township man's apology rang hollow in light of callous and expletive-filled comments he made to his father and girlfriend in phone calls recorded at Northampton County Prison.
"I really hope the judge here realizes this s--t is being blown out of proportion," Atkins said in a phone call on Jan. 6. "That family, they are reacting like they're the victims. What about my family? My family is the victims too."
Northampton County Judge Michael Koury sentenced Atkins to four to 10 years in state prison, a year above the three-year mandatory minimum sentence but a year below the statutory maximum of five to 10 years.
Atkins earned the sentence because he's a "heartless human being who lacks a social conscience," Koury said.
Condash died on Nov. 6, 2015, after Atkins struck him on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township. Atkins didn't see Condash and wasn't responsible for the crash, but was charged after he drove away without stopping to help.
He concealed the crime until witnesses led police to him.
Atkins was convicted at trial in November and the judge granted his request to push back the sentencing date to Friday after his family fired attorney John J. McMahon Jr. and hired Phil Lauer to take over after the trial.
Resistance on the part of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Lupackino and Koury to delay the sentencing apparently irked Atkins.
"The D.A. was there and he was like 'I don't want the sentencing to be pushed back because the victim's family wanted to get closure.' That pissed me off. I was like 'Are you kidding me? The victim's family?' And that pissed me off," he said in a Jan. 6 phone call.
"I just hate that D.A. He's such an a-- h---," Atkins said in another phone call that day.
"My god the judge is a f-----g piece of s--t. He's like a real f-----g scumbag," he said on Feb. 17.
His request to be released on bail to treat an ingrown toenail was denied. Atkins speculated the presence of members of Condash's family convinced Koury to rule against him.
"I don't know. I was just so f-----g disappointed. The judge was such a f-----g d--- bag," he said Feb. 17. "All this b--- s--t. There's just so much b-- s---t. They just talk out of their a-- like crazy."
And in another phone call Atkins questioned why Condash's family kept showing up on his court dates.
"I really wanted to say to them, 'Like, don't you f-----g people have jobs?' I really wanted to say that to them," he said, later adding in another phone call, "I literally have no remorse for them whatsoever any more. It makes me f-----g sick."
Lauer said Atkins was frustrated with himself for not stopping that day and had a hard time coming to grips with his involvement in Condash's death. The real Royce Atkins is an Eagle Scout and a good kid, Lauer said.
Most Eagle Scouts would have stopped to help Condash, Lupackino said.
"He should have known better," Lupackino said. "The way he acted was the complete opposite of what the Boy Scouts preach."
Lauer said Atkins was frustrated because supporters of Condash made an obscene gesture at him during a prior court hearing. He said he's been called a murderer by the family even though he wasn't charged will killing Condash, just failing to help him.
Condash had bought candy at a nearby convenience store. He realized after he crossed the road that he had dropped a piece, so he ran back and was bending over to pick up the candy when Atkins struck him.
Lauer said Condash's family posted negative things about Atkins on social media and got him fired from his job as a mechanic. All of these factors pushed Atkins to make the inappropriate comments he did, Lauer said.
"He's a young man and by any standard an immature young man," Lauer said. "He's upset. He's frustrated. He's embarrassed."
Atkins apologized to the family, adding "no one should ever have to bury their own children."
"Things just happened so quickly. I just wish that things had been different," he told Condash's family in court Friday. "I just wish it had never happened to you. I don't know. I'm sorry. I just hope that one day you can forgive me. I'm sorry. That's all I really have to say."
Condash's mother said she'll never forgive Atkins.
"I'm very angry over the loss of my son and there are no words that you can say that will make me change or make me feel any better," said Siomara Merced to Atkins.
She asked for the maximum sentence allowed by law, adding "any time he serves would not measure up to the talented, amazing life of Darious Condash."
Koury said what you say in private is more indicative of your true feelings than a public apology.
"I believe the statements he made regarding the court evidence a total lack of respect for the court system and the jury's verdict," Koury said.
Condash's mother said Atkins' final judgment is yet to come.
"Today is not just your ultimate judgment day," Merced told Atkins. "Your final day is coming one day. And I hope everything you said in this court was the right thing because you will have to answer to that one person above."