Staff report
Two men involved in a St. Patrick’s day brawl at a local club have been sentenced to 60 days in jail.
Chief District Court Judge Charlie Brown sentenced Cleo Pinkney Ross Jr. and Thomas Barnes to the 60-day sentence, the maximum allowed for the charge of simple assault.
In addition, Brown ordered Pinkney to pay $5,000 restitution to Paul Eugene Flahive Jr. for his medical bills from the assault.
The March 17 fight involving as many as 30 people who spilled out onto Fisher Street from Benchwarmers, 113 E. Fisher St.
According to testimony in court Monday, Pickney said he didn’t know Flahive. Instead it was a case of the man being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Flahive, 43, of 901 Jackson St., testified he was with a group of friends and was leaving Benchwarmers when he was struck just as the went out the door.
Flahive sustained injuries to his face and head requiring medical treatment.
Pinkney, 35, of Maiden, pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty.
Barnes, 27, 340 Cedar Creek Road, pleaded guilty.
During the testimony in the two cases, both the defendants and the victims said the fight was not racially motivated as had been previously described.
A trial is pending for two others charged in the incident.