by peter e, bortner
POTTSVILLE - With his lips sealed to the end, Jarvin M. Huggins left Schuylkill County Court Friday for a state prison cell, where he will spend the rest of his life after being sentenced for murdering a man in April 2012 in Mahanoy City.
"This type of situation is the very reason why the Legislature has instituted life without parole," Judge John E. Domalakes said in sentencing Huggins, 19, of Mahanoy City, to serve a life sentence - which in Pennsylvania carries no possibility of parole - for killing Gene M. Slavinsky, 48.
After a two-day trial over which Domalakes presided, a jury convicted Huggins on March 5 of first-, second- and third-degree murder, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, criminal trespass, theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
State police at Frackville said Huggins hid in the basement of Slavinsky's 408 W. Centre St. home April 3, 2012, hit him about 24 times with a window counterweight and then stole his laptop computer, car and about $100 in money.
"This was a very violent murder," District Attorney Karen Byrnes-Noon told Domalakes.
Huggins declined to make a statement during Friday's 30-minute hearing and said nothing either while being led into court or when taken away.
However, Domalakes, who also sentenced Huggins to pay costs - $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $14,669.90 restitution - and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities, said plenty in commenting on the defendant's actions.
"The evidence at trial established ... one of the most basic human motives, greed," the judge said. "He laid in wait."
Mental capacity
Domalakes also said Huggins, who showed no visible emotions or reactions to these or any other words spoken during the hearing, tampered with the house's electrical system in order to get Slavinsky down to the basement.
"He tried to pay someone to help him escape," Domalakes said. "All of this demonstrates the ability to plan and scheme."
Byrnes-Noon also said Huggins was cold, rummaging through Slavinsky's pockets after beating him.
Assistant Public Defender Kent D. Watkins had presented Pottsville psychologist David F. O'Connell at Huggins' first hearing on May 1 in an effort to establish that even though his client was legally an adult when he murdered Slavinsky, he has the mental age of a juvenile and, therefore, should not be sentenced to life without parole. The U.S. Supreme Court has barred states from imposing mandatory life sentences without parole on juveniles.
On Friday, Watkins acknowledge the state statute on sentencing is clear that chronological age is what counts, and Domalakes agreed.
"There are many bright-line standards" in the law, Domalakes said.
Watkins said after the hearing that he will file an appeal for Huggins, but otherwise declined to comment on the case. He had told Domalakes he would raise in that appeal the mental age issue.
Byrnes-Noon declined to talk about the case after the hearing.
The restitution Huggins must pay includes $5,193.45 to the state Victims Compensation Assistance Program and $9,476.45 to Paragon Services, which performed DNA testing on various pieces of evidence.