4 Men Enter Plea Deals In T Station Attack Case

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Four of five white men charged in connection with the beating of an African-American man during a drunken confrontation after the Kenny Chesney concert last year entered pleas in court Tuesday.

But the victim wasn't entirely happy with the outcome.

"If five black guys jumped one white guy, nobody would be going home," said victim Kevin Lockett, who is still adding up his medical injuries and costs after the attack. "Nobody would get 100 hours of community service," he said.

Lockett is the victim shown in surveillance video from the Wood Street T station right after the Kenny Chesney concert last summer. He was thrown from the tracks. Later, once he climbed back up onto the platform, he was beaten up.

Ryan Kyle is charged as one of the alleged attackers.

Kyle came to court Tuesday on his own power, but after pleading guilty to charges, including ethnic intimidation and aggravated assault, his bail was revoked.

Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning sent him directly to jail.

"It's unfortunate," said Kyle's attorney, Al Burke. "We would rather, obviously, have him out until the pre-sentence report is completed and we go to sentencing, but that's not what the judge wanted to do in this case."

Defendant Christopher LaPlace, who took Lockett's cooler while he was being beaten, pleaded to conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment.

He apologized to Lockett in court and so did LaPlace's parents. They told the judge LaPlace admitted a drinking problem and checked himself in to Gateway Rehab and that he's been a better person since.

Lockett accepted their apology.

"His parents apologized, that was it," said Lockett. "It can't be too cordial, but he and his parents apologized, and I accepted and I moved on."

LaPlace, who did not hit Lockett will serve a year's probation and 100 hours of community service in a minority community.

Kenneth Gault and David Depretis, who also did not hit Lockett, will serve six months' probation and community service. They, however, did not offer an apology, and when asked by the judge if they had anything to say, said nothing. Gault and Depretis pleaded no contest, which is different from a guilty or not guilty plea.

"We did not admit guilt," said Gault's attorney Robert DelGreco. "However, we did not challenge the recitation that made out the elements for a conspiracy for recklessly endangering another person."

Kyle could face years in prison. He'll be sentenced in mid-May. But the judge believes that all the defendants should bear some responsibility for restitution to the victim.

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