Valva trial: What to know about Angela Pollina's murder case
Jury selection for the trial of Angela Pollina in the death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva, begins Feb. 22 in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead. Credit: James Carbone; Courtesy Justyna Zubko-Valva
Jury selection for the trial of Angela Pollina — former fiancee of ex-NYPD officer Michael Valva, who was found guilty of murdering his 8-year-old son Thomas last year — begins Feb. 22 in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead.
Pollina is charged with second-degree murder and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva and the abuse of Thomas and his older brother Anthony, who was 10 years old when Thomas died on Jan. 17, 2020.
Pollina was engaged to Michael Valva and they lived together with his three sons, as well as her three daughters from previous relationships, at a home in Center Moriches.
Lawyers for Valva and other witnesses said Pollina was domineering and the force behind the banishment of Thomas and Anthony, who were both on the autism spectrum, to the garage. Text messages between Valva and Pollina displayed by prosecutors during Valva's trial showed that Pollina argued frequently with Valva about the boys and at times suggested her then-fiance move out if he didn't approve of his sons sleeping in the garage.
Pollina's defense attorney Matthew Tuohy has argued it was Valva who sprayed his son with freezing cold water from a spigot outside the home and then bathed him inside the house -- acts that caused his death from hypothermia -- not Pollina. Tuohy has said Pollina will testify in her own defense at trial.
No. But her defense attorney has said she plans to take the stand at her own trial.
Prosecutors are likely to present much of the same evidence used to convict Michael Valva, including video and audio from a home surveillance system and text messages between Valva and Pollina.
Thomas died from hypothermia, the then-Suffolk County medical examiner testified at Valva's trial. His body temperature was 76.1 degrees minutes before he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Thomas had several bruises and abrasions on his face at the time of his death, the medical examiner said.
Valva is currently serving a sentence of 25 years to life for his conviction on second-degree murder and child endangerment charges at the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate Dannemora. Valva is planning to appeal and is unlikely to testify at Pollina's trial.
Jury selection for the trial of Angela Pollina — former fiancee of ex-NYPD officer Michael Valva, who was found guilty of murdering his 8-year-old son Thomas last year — begins Feb. 22 in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead.
What is Angela Pollina charged with?
Pollina is charged with second-degree murder and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva and the abuse of Thomas and his older brother Anthony, who was 10 years old when Thomas died on Jan. 17, 2020.
Angelina Pollina, inside Suffolk Court in Riverhead on Feb. 6, 2020, where she was indicted along with Michael Valva for the murder of Thomas Valva. Credit: James Carbone
What relationship did Pollina have with Michael Valva and his sons?
Pollina was engaged to Michael Valva and they lived together with his three sons, as well as her three daughters from previous relationships, at a home in Center Moriches.
How was Pollina portrayed during Michael Valva's trial?
Lawyers for Valva and other witnesses said Pollina was domineering and the force behind the banishment of Thomas and Anthony, who were both on the autism spectrum, to the garage. Text messages between Valva and Pollina displayed by prosecutors during Valva's trial showed that Pollina argued frequently with Valva about the boys and at times suggested her then-fiance move out if he didn't approve of his sons sleeping in the garage.
What will Pollina's lawyer argue?
Pollina's defense attorney Matthew Tuohy has argued it was Valva who sprayed his son with freezing cold water from a spigot outside the home and then bathed him inside the house -- acts that caused his death from hypothermia -- not Pollina. Tuohy has said Pollina will testify in her own defense at trial.
Matthew Tuohy, Angela Pollina's defense attorney, outside court in Riverhead on Nov. 22. Credit: Tom Lambui
Did Pollina testify at Michael Valva's trial?
No. But her defense attorney has said she plans to take the stand at her own trial.
What evidence might be presented during Pollina's trial?
Prosecutors are likely to present much of the same evidence used to convict Michael Valva, including video and audio from a home surveillance system and text messages between Valva and Pollina.
What injuries did Thomas Valva have?
Thomas died from hypothermia, the then-Suffolk County medical examiner testified at Valva's trial. His body temperature was 76.1 degrees minutes before he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Thomas had several bruises and abrasions on his face at the time of his death, the medical examiner said.
Undated photograph of Thomas Valva Credit: Courtesy Justyna Zubko-Valva
Where is Michael Valva now? Will he testify at Pollina's trial?
Valva is currently serving a sentence of 25 years to life for his conviction on second-degree murder and child endangerment charges at the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate Dannemora. Valva is planning to appeal and is unlikely to testify at Pollina's trial.
Michael Valva as a guilty verdict is read during his trial at Suffolk Criminal Court in Riverhead on Nov. 4. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
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