YOUNGSTOWN Mother, son sentenced for their roles in assault

The son was sent to prison, and his mother was put on probation.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Judge R. Scott Krichbaum could only shake his head as he watched 44-year-old Barbara Riley walk out of his courtroom Wednesday morning.
He had just placed her on a two-year probation and sentenced her son to a year in prison. If he could have, he would have done things the other way around.
"I'd rather have put you in jail, honest to God. But the law just doesn't allow me to do it," the judge had told Riley moments earlier. "You are disgusting. You could have prevented all this."
Riley, of East Chalmers Avenue, and her son, Tito, 25, of North Kimberly Avenue, were in trouble for the May 2001 beating of Ms. Riley's former boyfriend, Calvin Hall, at Hall's home on Park Hill Drive.
Tito Riley pleaded guilty in March to aggravated assault, and his mother pleaded guilty to complicity to aggravated assault.
Police say Tito Riley went to the house with one or two other men and beat Hall with fists and pistols. Ms. Riley was at the house and let them in the door. She told the judge that she didn't know why they were there, but he didn't believe it.
Domestic violence?
Tito Riley said he beat up Hall because Hall had beaten up his mother and he wasn't going to let it go unpunished. It wasn't the first time she'd been beaten up by Hall, Tito Riley said.
Assistant Prosecutor Patrick Pochiro said there's no proof that Hall ever beat up Ms. Riley. She never filed a domestic violence complaint against him, and he has no record of such activity, Pochiro said.
Judge Krichbaum said he understands that the son wanted to defend his mother, but the right thing to do would have been to call the police.
"In this day and age, if somebody beats up a spouse, they're in unbelievable trouble," he said. "Domestic violence laws are very, very strong."
As Tito Riley was being handcuffed by deputy sheriffs, he thanked the judge for being lenient. He could have gotten up to 18 months in prison.
Ms. Riley showed no emotion as her son's sentence was pronounced and he was taken away, which irritated the judge.
"There he goes, on his way to prison for a year, and all you care about is yourself," he said. "That's why that kid is the mess that he is."
Besides her probation, Ms. Riley was ordered to pay Hall $1,071 to cover the medical bills he incurred for treatment after the beating.
bjackson@vindy.com