A Pinellas County judge, not a jury, will decide whether Dr. Tomasz Kosowski, a 47-year-old plastic surgeon, murdered attorney Steven Cozzi and disposed of his body. Kosowski waived his right to a jury trial and is representing himself, appearing in court in an orange jail jumpsuit as he faces a first-degree murder charge that carries the possibility of the death penalty.
Kosowski was arrested in March 2023 after Cozzi vanished from the Blanchard Law Firm office where he worked. He has remained jailed since and maintains his innocence. Judge Joseph Bulone is presiding over the trial, which began Sept. 14 and is set to resume Sept. 22.
A Bitter Legal Dispute
The two men’s relationship traces back to a civil lawsuit that began in 2019 over money Kosowski claimed he was owed for work tied to personal injury cases. Cozzi represented the corporate clients Kosowski was suing.
Court records show Kosowski grew increasingly hostile toward Cozzi as the litigation dragged on, blaming him for setbacks and demanding he be removed as defense counsel. Attorney Jake Pillsbury, who worked with Cozzi on the case, testified that Kosowski made
