Bent found guilty of lesser charge in Brewer case

Posted on 19 June 2012 by JLusk

A Broward jury has cleared Matthew Bent of second-degree attempted murder in the burning of Michael Brewer, convicting him instead of aggravated battery, a lesser-included charge that carries a lighter maximum sentence than the 30 years Bent originally faced.

The six-member jury listened to three days of testimony last week, much coming from teenage witnesses whose conflicting accounts of the attack on Brewer only agreed on critical details.

Defense lawyers Johnny McCray and Perry Thurston pointed out a crucial omission that even prosecutors conceded: Bent never set Brewer on fire and never asked or expected anyone else to do so.

Without that intent, McCray argued, Bent should not be convicted of trying to kill Brewer. McCray also disputed the contention that Bent wanted anyone else to fight Brewer or pour alcohol on him.

Jurors apparently agreed with the first part of McCray’s argument but rejected the second.

Bent will be sentenced July 23.

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