Steve Utash's family's speaks out about plea deals

5 suspects agree to plea deals; Lighter sentencing likely

DETROIT – Crushed -- that's just one way to describe the Utash family Thursday night.

They are not pleased that all five of the men arrested for the mob beating of Steve Utash agreed to plea deals, meaning no trial, and likely lighter sentences.

Utash's son said justice is not being served.

"It's very frustrating. I seen it on the news and started crying. I don't get this," said Joe Utash.

Joe Utash admitted he doesn't know all of the court and legal jargon, but he called the plea deals given to the suspects in his father's beating case bologna.

"Me and my family are pretty upset about it," Joe Utash said. "My dad is crushed."

The brutal mob beating happened in April after Steve Utash accidentally hit a young boy with his truck.

The first to plead guilty for a deal was the teenager who police said threw the first punch.

Second, 18-year-old Bruce Wimbush took a deal in the case, pleading guilty to assault and admitting he punched Utash in the jaw.

Thursday, the other three suspects, Latrez Cummings, James Davis and Wonzey Saffold, all admitted to punching or kicking Steve Utash. They were scheduled to go to trial in August on charges of assault with intent to murder, but each pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

"I feel all of them got a deal for nothing," Joe Utash said. "They didn't give anybody else up -- everyone (else) seen the video -- 15 people there. Two rat out three, everybody gets a deal, walks away with a deal but my dad."

Joe Utash said his dad is slowly recovering and doesn't want to talk much about the case.

"He's like, 'Oh, everything is going to happen in court.' He's been staying out of it because he trusts in God and in the system. Seems like they're just skating through it. If he was going to get a deal he should have brought someone else to the table. All those people there and nobody brought anybody to the table. It's like five people out of 15," he said.