UTICA - Hector McClain faced seven charges in the assault this summer of Utica police officer Dzenan Sabanovic. There will be no trial for McClain - Friday,a plea agreement sent the teen to prison for four years.

This was a very unexpected turn of events; witnesses were in court today ready to testify for a hearing to determine whether police made any suggestions while showing witnesses a photo array with defendant Hector McClain's picture in it.

But right before the hearing was to take place, McClain and his attorney watched the video of the actual assault on Officer Sabanovic, and McClain chose to plead guilty today.

Instead of facing the seven crimes at trial - the most serious of which could have meant a 7-year prison sentence, the teen plead guilty to the top count of assault in the 2nd degree in exchange for a four year prison sentence.

Before the judge accepted the plea, the district attorney had lengthy talks with Officer Sabanovic, who said he was satisfied with the sentence and plea.

"He's young. He still has a chance to turn his life around," Officer Sabanovic said. "I don't want him to put anyone else through what I had to go through and I obviously don't want him to fail in his life I want him to move on and learn his lesson from this, and hopefully get a better life ahead of him."

Several members of Hector McClain's family were in court today, visibly upset - bursting into tears and having to leave the courtroom.