Man gets probation in teen's beating

5/14/2006

A second Toledoan accused of beating a teenager at a TARTA station in downtown Toledo was sentenced yesterday to four years of community control.

Travis Holmes, 19, was sentenced by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge James Jensen to serve the first three months in work release and the second three months on electronic monitor release.

Holmes pleaded no contest April 9 to aggravated riot and attempted felonious assault.

Holmes, of 3218 Cambridge St., will have to serve two years in prison if he violates any part of his sentence.

The victim, who was 16 at the time, was attacked Jan. 5 at Jackson and Erie streets in an assault that authorities said was sparked by the victim's red jacket and red jogging pants, a color that is associated with a particular gang.

The assault was videotaped by a WTVG-TV, Channel 13 news crew.

Judge Jensen questioned why someone with no criminal background and who did not appear to initiate the attack would get involved in the beating of a defenseless person.

He said that it was because it appeared that Holmes "got caught up in the moment" that he was given community control.

A co-defendant, Shaheem R. French, 18, was sentenced April 21 to nearly three years in prison on similar charges.

They and five juveniles were arrested after police and school officials reviewed the videotape and identified them as suspects.