Hubbard man convicted of 9th domestic-violence charge in 17 years

By Ed Runyan | June 14, 2017 at 12:06a.m.

WARREN

Amato P. Zaccone, 57, of Jacobs Road was convicted of his ninth domestic-violence charge since 2000 on Tuesday and could get up to three years in prison when he’s sentenced by Judge Peter Kontos of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court July 17.

Zaccone was convicted in a two-day trial in which his accuser didn’t even testify. She went on the witness stand and invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination and refused to answer any questions.

The case stemmed from a 911 call his girlfriend made Jan 27 from their Hubbard home asking for help because Zaccone had caused a cut on her forehead and “put her on the ground,” according to Gabe Wildman, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor.

But she and Zaccone both had plenty to say on an hour’s worth of jail phone calls that Wildman played during the trial. Zaccone has been in jail since the incident.

In three calls, Zaccone and the woman talked about their relationship and the incident, apparently unaware that the conversation might be used in court.

The woman told Zaccone she wasn’t going to press charges against him and wouldn’t testify against him.

The woman was angry with Zaccone, however, and told him she called 911 because of the “bruises on my legs,” adding later: “You hurt me so bad. You pushed me to call the cops.”

During the calls, Zaccone admitted several times that the police being called to their home was his fault. “You don’t think I feel bad about this?” he asked.

Zaccone repeatedly told the woman he loved her. He told her at one point his arrest wasn’t her fault.

“I know it’s not my fault,” she said.

Wildman told the jury in closing arguments that Tuesday was “the day of reckoning” for Zaccone. “I think these two together are like TNT, but that doesn’t give the defendant the right to do whatever he wants,” Wildman said.

Wildman referred to Zaccone’s record as being 10 previous Trumbull County domestic-violence convictions, but two of them were aggravated menacing. He spent one year in prison in 2015.