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Hearing To Determine Charges In Greektown Brawl Caught On Camera

DETROIT (WWJ) - It was a brawl caught on video in Detroit's popular Greektown area.  Wild minutes of fighting and mayhem that caught innocent people in a vortex of violence.

In a Detroit courtroom Thursday a hearing was held to determine if five men will face charges in the case.

Javon Young took the stand describing one of the beatings he witnessed that night.
"Punched, kicked ... to the head," Young testified. Telling the prosecutor that he witnessed Brandon Putnam being dragged in the street -- by his hair.

When asked what happened to him when he went to help Putnam, Young said, "I get wooped on."

Young also suffered an open head wound from a broken bottle that night. Facebook with a caption that simply said: "This happened in Downtown Detroit last night."

And then starts a video that shows about 25-40 men punching, kicking and brutally beating people on the streets of Greektown, one of Detroit's most popular hotspots. In the video, one man is lying with his head over the curb appearing unconscious and very badly injured. He gets punched and kicked as the cell-phone filming crowd of young men shouts and laughs.

Putnam, who said that he was downtown celebrating his 23rd birthday, testified that he woke up at Detroit Receiving vomiting blood. He says his memory of the incident is sketchy.

On cross-examination, attorney's questioned Young about his drug use that night;

"I understand your recollection of events of the night aren't clear -- is that right?"

"For the most part," said Young.

"A little bit hazy?" asked the defense attorney.

"Yes," answered Young.

"Ok, well you had the marijuana and the jungle juice, right?"

"Yes," said Young.

Prosecutors ask to add a count of felonious assault in Young's beating.
Video of the incident went viral online -- and police were quickly able to identify the suspects.

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