Two sentenced in pipe beating

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Two young men charged in a beating that left a 38-year-old critically injured were sentenced to probation Monday.

On December 21, 2009, Charles Flanner was beaten with a metal pipe in the parking lot of a South Haven shopping center after an ongoing dispute between he and four men. Shortly after the attack, Nicholas Brooks, Cameron Cole, Charles Soukup and Jeremiah Barnes were arrested.

Soukup, 19 at the time, was originally charged with assault with intent to murder, but it was later amended to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. In May, he pleaded guilty to that crime, and was sentenced Monday to three years probation.

Cole, 21 at the time, pleaded no contest in February to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and was sentenced Monday to five years probation and 120 days in jail. He will be allowed to served the jail time on a weekend alternative program.