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Jury Returns Verdict In Brutal Beating Of Unconscious Man At Strip Club

Cody Tucker - Robert Yates
Cody Tucker - Robert Yates (Booking Photo)

FLINT (WWJ) - A Flint man has been found guilty in the violent assault of a 25-year-old Grand Blanc man outside a strip club in October 2013.

A Genesee County jury returned a guilty verdict against 21-year-old Cody Alan Tucker, convicted of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. Two co-defendants in the case, 23-year-old Robert Yates and 21-year-old Jeremy Ranger, entered a plea agreement in return for their testimony against Tucker.

The charges stem from an incident that happened in the parking lot of Déjà Vu on Dort Highway in Flint.

According to police, the whole thing started when the victim ran into Yates at the club. Police say both had attended Grand Blanc High School together, and Yates was still upset over an old prank the victim had pulled on him and posted on the internet using Instagram.

Police say Yates asked the victim to go outside and once the two were in the parking lot, Yates yelled at the victim and punched him in the face. After being punched by Yates, police say the victim immediately fell to the ground where he remained unconscious while others joined in the assault.

Tucker, who was apparently friends with Yates, began beating the unconscious victim by stomping on his face and kicking him in the head numerous times, according to police. Tucker also ran at the victim and kicked his head similar to a kick-off in a football game, police said. Ranger kicked the victim one time.

The entire incident was captured on parking lot surveillance video, which was shown to the jury.

"The video of this beating was very disturbing and difficult to watch," Prosecutor David Leyton said in a statement. "It is incomprehensible for me to understand how anybody could inflict such devastation on another human being who is lying there helpless."

Yates plead guilty to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and Ranger plead guilty to aggravated assault. Tucker is scheduled to be sentenced in Genesee County Circuit Court on April 28th.

The victim, whose name was not released, was unconscious for six days following the attack and is still recovering from his numerous injuries.

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