Plea Deal Made In Burglary Case That Led To Brewer Burning
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The teenager involved in the 2009 burning case of Michael Brewer has taken a plea deal in a burglary case. The crime was a pivotal moment that eventually led to the fiery attack on then-15-year-old Brewer.
Matthew Bent, 18, pleaded no contest in a Fort Lauderdale courtroom Wednesday morning and he was sentenced to time served.
Bent is already in prison serving 11 years for aggravated battery for his involvement in the fiery attack on Brewer.
Both boys were 15 year-old students at Deerfield Beach Middle School in October 2009 when Bent, Denver Jarvis and Jesus Mendez attacked the boy.
Jarvis poured rubbing alcohol on Brewer and Mendez set him on fire.
Brewer survived by jumping into a nearby swimming bowl. His rehab took months.
The fiery confrontation actually began a night earlier when Brewer said Bent tried to sell him a bowl used for smoking marijuana, but Brewer never agreed to buy it. Regardless, Brewer said, Bent and Jarvis showed up at his home demanding $40.
When Brewer refused, according to several witnesses, Bent went into Brewer's screened-in porch and attempted to steal a custom bicycle that belonged to Brewer's father. Brewer's family ordered Bent off their property and called 911.
Bent was charged later with burglary for trying to steal the bike.
Mendez and Jarvis are both in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder charges.
Bent took his case to trial and was cleared of attempted murder but convicted of aggravated battery.
