Saturday, February 15, 2014
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The family of a man stabbed to death by his girlfriend asked a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge Friday to grant the woman probation so she can care for the couple’s children and spare them any more pain.
Judge James C. Evans granted their request, sentencing 28-year-old Tequila Haskins to five years’ probation and ordering her also to perform 500 hours’ community service with victims of domestic violence.
Haskins, 28, pleaded guilty Dec. 16 to a count of voluntary manslaughter in the death of her boyfriend, 28-year-old Brian Tubbs, on June 4 in their Moyer Avenue home in Boardman. She originally had been charged with murder.
Haskins told Judge Evans just before she was sentenced of years of physical abuse she suffered at the hands of Tubbs.
“I never thought this would happen,” Haskins told Judge Evans. “I always thought I would be the one to die by Brian’s hand.”
Haskins discovered Tubbs and their neighbor together naked in bed, Boardman police said.
That’s when Haskins got a large kitchen knife and stabbed Tubbs in the arm, chest and throat, police said. Haskins also struck the neighbor and threw her down the stairs, police said.
Paramedics tried reviving Tubbs on the scene before he was transported to St. Elizabeth Health Center, where he later died.
Haskins said that day was the first time she stood up to Tubbs. She said the constant abuse of all kinds was too much for her to take.
“I never intended for Brian to die, but I knew I wanted to live,” Haskins said.
Tubbs’ aunt, brother and a friend all asked Judge Evans to be lenient to Haskins for the sake of the couple’s children, age 9 and 11.
“We believe this is a terrible mistake and a terrible loss but we don’t believe she [Haskins] should be sent to prison,” said Peggy Cummings, Tubbs’ aunt. “She has been through enough. We don’t want the kids to suffer anymore.”
Judge Evans said he was hard-pressed to think of anyone he has sentenced who was more remorseful than Haskins. He did tell her that he understood she was afraid of Tubbs, but she needed to go to authorities before things escalated to the point where Tubbs lost his life.
Judge Evans said he also based his decision on the pre-sentence report, which documented years of abuse she also endured at the hands of her stepfather before she was with Tubbs. He also noted that Haskins has no criminal record.
Besides the community service, Haskins also must obtain her General Educational Development diploma, get a job and continue her counseling. Haskins told Judge Evans her children are also in counseling. Judge Evans warned Haskins that if she violates terms of her probation, she could be sent to prison for 11 years.