Fatal wedding reception brawl sends man to jail
ALLENTOWN - A man who punched the bride's uncle at a wedding reception, leading to his death two days later, was sentenced yesterday to 20 to 60 months in state prison.
ALLENTOWN - A man who punched the bride's uncle at a wedding reception, leading to his death two days later, was sentenced yesterday to 20 to 60 months in state prison.
Mark C. Wells, who was 26 at the time of last year's brawl at a Fogelsville hotel bar, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in April. His punch killed James V. Schickling, 49, a Philadelphia postal worker who had been standing nearby when a fight broke out. Wells acknowledged that Schickling did nothing to provoke the attack.
Defense lawyer John J. Waldron said outside court that the judge took his client's history into account when sentencing him.
"He felt that Mark had a problem with alcohol in his past and incidents of violence," Waldron said.
Although Wells had no prior convictions, he had been arrested on an aggravated assault charge before.
Assistant District Attorney Jay W. Jenkins said he thought the sentence was appropriate. - AP