Joseph Karolys was sentenced last week to 25 years in state prison, plus five years of post-release supervision for his role in the October 29, 2022 death of David “Mickey” Myer. Karolys’ sentence will run concurrently on his convictions of Manslaughter in the First Degree and Assault in the First Degree. Karolys was also sentenced to additional 1 1/3-to-4 years for his conviction of Tampering with Physical Evidence in addition to the 25 years.
“This sentence reflects Joseph Karolys’ selfishness and lack of decency towards others — such disregard as in his polluting the water supply sources for many families, and stripping Mickey of his life and human dignity by leaving him on the side of the road to die,” said district attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji in a press release.“The impact of this crime in Saugerties is far-reaching; I am hopeful that Mickey’s family and friends in Saugerties will cherish and make a legacy of their memories of him.”
In June of this year, an eight-woman, four-man jury found that Karolys “acted in concert” with others with the intent to cause Myer physical harm, which resulted in Myer’s death. The jury also found that Karolys tampered with physical evidence. Karolys was found not guilty on a charge of bribery.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Karolys, Cummins and Myer were among a modest crowd celebrating Halloween at the since-closed One More Time Tavern on Route 32 in Catskill on October 28, 2022. Witnesses further testified that as the bartender felt Myer was too drunk to drive, Karolys’ son Joseph A. Karolys, who was called to pick up his father, agreed to give Myer a ride home.
Myer’s body was found face down on Route 32 several hours later, his damaged face including a gash along his forehead. Video presented as evidence showed Joseph A. Karolys cleaning what prosecutors said was blood out of his truck. The video also showed police executing a search warrant and finding steel toes from work boots in a wood stove in the Karolys garage.
The prosecution and defense agreed that a fight broke out in the truck on the ride back from Catskill, with Karolys’ son claiming that when he refused to go back to the bar to retrieve Myer’s mobile phone, Myer became violent.
Defense Attorney Carol Morgan said Karolys was passed out in the car, and claimed it was Cummins who assaulted Myer, adding that between his high blood alcohol content and cardiac and other health issues, Myer may have had a heart attack and was already dying.
Morgan also pointed out that Cummins was given a deal on an unrelated weapons charge in exchange for his testimony in the Karolys trial. Cummins first told police he was passed out in the car, later accepted blame for the attack and then put the blame on Karolys.
Nneji, in his closing statement to the jury, said while any or all of the three could have been involved in the assault on Myer, Karolys still bore responsibility.
At the end of the trial, representatives for Karolys said they planned to file an appeal following the verdict.
“There’s no act that could ever heal the wound created when a loved one is stripped away,” said Saugerties Police Chief K.J. Swart in an October 3 press release following the Karolys sentencing. “It is our hope that the verdict, combined with the recent sentencing, helps provide some closure for the family and friends of Mickey Myer.”
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