Four teens plead guilty in Five Points beating

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Half of the 8 teenagers accused of being involved in the beating of 18-year-old Carter Strange in Five Points in June have pleaded guilty and are now awaiting sentencing.

PHOTO GALLERY

Click here to view more photos of Carter. WARNING: GALLERY CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

On Thursday, two youths ages 16 and 17 pleaded guilty to misprison of a felony for their roles in the attack. They joined two others ages 13 and 17 who pleaded guilty during a similar court hearing on Wednesday.

Each boy testified and implicated 19-year-old Tyheem Henrey and 16-year-old Yahquann Gantt, as the alleged ringleaders in the attack.

On June 20, Carter Strange was jogging through a parking lot near the intersection of Blossom Street and Saluda Avenue just after midnight on Monday when the assault happened. Police said Henrey and the seven juveniles he was with were roaming Five Points, targeting others until they came across Strange. In fact, investigators said the group tried unsuccessfully to rob or assault at least four other people.

Family members said Strange had to have emergency brain surgery shortly after the attack. The Dreher High grad is healing, but his family doesn't have health insurance, and right now they owe the hospital $80,000 for Carter's stay in ICU.

Investigators said the four boys did not participate in the physical assault of 17-year old Carter Strange, but waited at their cars while the assault took place. They will be sentenced for failing to timely report the attack to the police.

After an evaluation conducted by the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, the juveniles will return to court to be sentenced by a family court judge.

While they wait for sentencing, they will be on house arrest and their travel away from their homes shall be supervised by a parent or legal guardian and restricted to school, church, medical appointments and court appearances, prosecutors said.

Family Court Judge Leslie Riddle further ordered that the boys shall have no contact with the victim or his family, shall not enter the Five Points area, must have good behavior at school and home, and must complete household duties as assigned.

Henrey is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on $750,000 bond.

Related stories:

Charges upgraded for three juvenile suspects in Five Points beating

City passes emergency curfew in wake of brutal Five Points beating

Solicitor: No evidence that Five Points beating was racially motivated

All eight suspects in brutal Five Points beating in custody

Copyright 2011 WIS. All right reserved.