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Sinkovitz Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison
By: Marika Lee | For The Athens Messenger
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Hocking County Common Pleas Court Judge John Wallace sentenced Paul Sinkovitz, 66, to seven years in prison on Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of felonious assault and domestic violence in late March.
Wallace sentenced Sinkovitz to four years in prison for the felonious assault charge and gave him an additional three years for the firearm specifications. The two sentences will run consecutively. He also was given 180 days on the domestic violence charge, which will run concurrently.
A jury found Sinkovitz guilty of the two charges and not guilty of the attempted murder of his wife, Dee. Sinkovitz pointed a .32-cailber gun at his wife during a drunken disagreement on Nov. 23, 2012. The gun went off, leaving a red mark on his wife’s chest and two bullet holes in the comforter on the couple’s bed.
Hocking County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Archer asked for Sinkovitz to be sentenced to eight years in prison.
“I disagree with the jury decision and that he did not intend to kill Mrs. Sinkovitz. We are asking for a mid-range sentence,” Archer said, adding that Sinkovitz could have been given two to eight years for the felonious assault.
Archer said Sinkovitz has shown no remorse and keeps trying to contact his wife and daughters, Mary and Jennifer. When he was first brought into the courtroom, Sinkovitz asked multiple people to hand a letter to his wife. Archer took the letter, but said he could not give it to his wife until after the hearing.
A victim’s advocate read a letter written by Dee Sinkovitz to the court.
“Alcohol has changed our lives. If he gets out he will try again. He is dangerous,” the letter read.
Charles Gerken, Sinkovitz’s attorney, said his client views all time in prison as the same sentence. “Mr. Sinkovitz has taken a view that any prison sentence equals a life sentence. As you see in the files, he has a family history of dying at age 77,” Gerken said.
Wallace agreed with Archer that Sinkovitz should have no further contact with his wife or daughters. Before he announced his final sentence, Wallace gave Sinkovitz a chance to address the court.
Sinkovitz said his actions were entirely out of character and that he had sold his soul to Dee.
“I wish things did not happen as they did, but it was my last resort. If you want to send me to hell so be it,” he said.
Sinkovitz was given credit for the 187 days he has already served in jail and requested Gerken be his appeals attorney for the case he plans to file.
This article was contributed by the Logan Daily News.