Pinellas County, Fla. – In a rare bench trial, former plastic surgeon Tomasz Kosowski was found guilty of first‑degree murder for the 2023 killing of lawyer Steven Cozzi. Kosowski, 47, chose to represent himself, waiving a jury and leaving the decision entirely to Judge Joseph Bulone.
Trial Highlights
Over six days, prosecutors presented surveillance video, DNA evidence, and testimony linking Kosowski to the crime. They described how Kosowski entered Cozzi’s law office bathroom, allegedly killed the attorney, and dragged the body onto a cart before disposing of it in a remote dumpster. Blood from Cozzi was later found in the bed of Kosowski’s pickup truck and on a ballistic vest stored in the trunk of a second vehicle.
During his closing argument, Kosowski spoke in a soft voice for about 20 minutes, claiming the state had not proven the statutory elements of first‑degree murder. He mocked the prosecution’s theory, describing an implausible scenario in which he lifted Cozzi’s body with “superhuman strength” and carried it out of the building.
Judge’s Role
Because Kosowski waived a jury, Judge Bulone acted as the sole fact‑finder. After reviewing the evidence, he determined the defendant’s guilt and set the case for the penalty phase, where he will decide between life imprisonment and the death penalty.
“I don’t anticipate me disagreeing with myself that much,” Bulone said after the verdict, noting that the usual jury deliberation process would not apply in this bench trial.
Prosecutors’ Evidence
Assistant State Attorney Alexandra Spadaro highlighted that Kosowski was arrested four days after Cozzi’s disappearance with nearly $300,000 in cash, two passports, and a duffel bag containing masks, brass knuckles, a taser, a crowbar, and a syringe of succinylcholine – a paralytic that can be lethal at the right dose.
Surveillance footage showed a man entering the law office building and, hours later, a person in different clothing dragging a cart toward the parking lot. Kosowski later joined a virtual hearing from the firm’s parking lot, minutes after allegedly moving Cozzi’s body.
Background and Motive
The murder appears rooted in a long‑standing civil dispute between the two men. Kosowski sued former colleagues over a billing disagreement in 2019, and the conflict with Cozzi intensified during related litigation. Prosecutors say Kosowski’s animus grew over years, leading him to plot the murder months before Cozzi vanished in March 2023.
Co‑workers described Cozzi as a loving husband and respected attorney. After his disappearance, his husband and colleagues testified about their fear of Kosowski, noting that Cozzi had once called Kosowski a “scumbag” in an email following a heated confrontation.
Self‑Representation Risks
Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, warned that self‑representation in capital cases is extremely rare and typically ends unfavorably for the defendant. “Most examples of pro se representation in capital cases have ended with convictions and death sentences,” Maher said.
The case now proceeds to the penalty phase, where Judge Bulone will determine whether Kosowski receives a life sentence or the death penalty.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
