Black high school student, 18, may avoid jail for beating a white Macy's manager in Michigan in an unprovoked attack because the victim doesn't want to take the stand

An 18-year-old black man who launched himself at a white Macy's manager inside a Michigan store, knocking the store supervisor to the ground and raining blows on him, could be spared jail. 

Video of the June 15 incident inside the Genesee Valley Mall, in Flint Township, went viral, with Donald Trump tweeting: 'Looks what's going on here. Where are the protesters? Was this man arrested?' 

Damire Palmer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to assault with intent to do great bodily harm, a 10-year felony. 

However the teenager may avoid jail under a plea deal, agreed with the victim, that spares the 50-year-old Macy's employee from testifying and will see Palmer serve his sentence - which could only be probation.

When his probation ends, Palmer will not have the felony on his record.  

Instead, it will be replaced with a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault. 

Palmer's punishment is up to a circuit court judge. David Leyton, prosecuting, said he could be handed anything from probation to serving the 10-years in prison.

Palmer will learn his sentence on September 1.

'Nobody's looking to hang felonies on young men,' said Leyton. 

'I never have and I never will. This was a bad crime though, and he has to face the consequences.'

At Wednesday's hearing, Palmer, of Mount Morris, said that his brother, 22-year-old Damarquay Palmer of Flint Township, had lied to him and said the store manager called him the n-word. 

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Damire said that his 22-year-old brother Damarquay had lied to him and said he'd been insulted

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Palmer launched himself at the Macy's store manager after asking him about a jacket

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Palmer left the manager bruised and bloodied in the attack, which was filmed and went viral

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The incident was put on Facebook, with the poster claiming Palmer had been racially abused

'I asked him a question about some clothes,' Palmer said. 'I asked him about the jacket type that I was about to get.'

Palmer said the man answered him, they laughed, and then his brother told him the store manager called him the n-word. 

'The statement that (my brother) made was untrue and I swung on him for no reason,' Palmer said. 

'Why would your brother do that?' asked Patrick McCombs, the assistant prosecutor. 

Palmer replied: 'I wouldn't know. I honestly wouldn't.'

McCombs said the store manager had asked that the charge does not stay with Palmer forever.

'Basically, you beat this guy so bad he was quite bloody - correct?' McCombs asked. 

'Yes,' Palmer said. 

'And did you know that he has agreed that you should be treated as a youthful offender even though you beat on him like that?' the assistant prosecutor continued. 

'No, I did not know that,' Palmer responded.

McCombs told the court that Palmer would be sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Training Act, which could lead to probation on a lesser charge of aggravated assault after completion of any programming order by the circuit court judge.

Judge Jennifer J. Manley also emphasized to Palmer that he had been granted remarkable leniency by his victim.

She said that 'programming needs to be put in place' to deal with Palmer, and that he needed 'strict guidelines before you are out in the community.' 

She added: 'If he did not approve of this, you would not be getting this possibility.

'You understand what kind of break that man gave you?

'This is a big deal for your life. I really want you to understand that.'