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ST. GEORGE — A southern Utah man accused of fatally beating an acquaintance with a tree branch has been sentenced to two years in jail.
A judge decided Thursday that John Stucki, 55, of La Verkin, will stay another six months at the Purgatory Jail in Hurricane, in addition to the year and a half he's already served.
Prosecutors say Stucki hit 64-year-old Donald George Loomer in the back of the head with a large tree branch during a drunken brawl in October 2013.
Lawyer Edward Flint says the victim was a transient Stucki was letting stay at his home when the fight started. He says his client's time in jail has helped him get sober.
The Spectrum of St. George reports Loomer family members weren't interested in a prison sentence for Stucki.
— Associated Press