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Artest pleads no contest to domestic violence charges

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Chi City 81, May 3, 2007.

  1. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    AUBURN, Calif. (AP) — Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest pleaded no contest Thursday to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a string of off-court problems.

    Placer County Superior Court Judge Francis Kearney sentenced Artest to 100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project through the county sheriff’s department. Artest also was fined $600 and ordered to get extensive counseling.

    Kearney modified the restraining order that has kept Artest away from his wife, Kimsha, and three children since the incident at his $1.85 million mansion in Loomis, 25 miles northeast of Sacramento.
    Artest will be allowed to have peaceful contact with his wife, and there are no restrictions on contact with his children.

    The judge said an attorney for Artest’s wife appeared before her Thursday morning to say that Kimsha Artest no longer wanted any restrictions on their contact.

    He was accused of grabbing, pushing and slapping his wife during an argument and preventing her from calling 911. The couple’s 3-year-old daughter was home at the time.

    Artest was charged with corporal injury to a spouse, battery, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, all misdemeanors. He pleaded no contest to the first charge, while the others were dismissed.

    Artest declined to comment outside the courthouse, but his attorney said he was pleased to put the matter behind him.

    “We’re just very happy we were able to settle this,” attorney William Portanova said. “Ron’s first priority was to protect the family.”

    The judge agreed to a plea deal that Artest reached with Assistant District Attorney Dan Quick. In addition to the fine and community service, Artest agreed to three years informal probation, 20 days of a work project with 10 days suspended, a yearlong violence treatment program and attending a parenting class on the effects of domestic violence on young children.

    The details of the work project and community service will be determined by a probation officer in consultation with the sheriff department. The judge ordered Artest to provide evidence that he had complied with the order to meet with the county officials by June 25.

    Artest is selling his Loomis home after a series of problems there since he joined the Kings in January 2006.

    Kimsha Artest told a sheriff’s dispatcher on March 5 that her finger was cut and her leg scratched during an altercation with her husband. She said he shoved her to the ground, slapped her and prevented her from making a 911 call.

    She also said she broke the windshield of the family’s Hummer as Artest tried to drive away from the property, according to a recording of her call released by the sheriff’s department.

    Sheriff’s deputies previously had been summoned to at least two other domestic disturbances at Artest’s home, among the five times they responded to 911 calls there since last August.

    Animal services officers seized Artest’s Great Dane, named Socks, in February after weeks of complaints from neighbors that the dog appeared to be starving.

    Placer County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Wilson announced last week that there was insufficient evidence to charge either Artest or his wife with animal cruelty or neglect.

    Artest signed with the Kings for $7.1 million this season and $7.8 million in 2007-08, with an $8.45 million player option for the 2008-09 season.

    He apologized to his family and his teammates and sat out two games after he was charged in the March incident. He was not suspended from the team, but may face discipline from the league now that his criminal case is settled.
    Artest came to Sacramento with a troubled past.

    He was suspended from the Indiana Pacers for 73 games and lost nearly $5 million in salary after he jumped into the stands and threw punches during a brawl with Detroit Pistons fans in 2004. He and teammate Stephen Jackson were sentenced to one year of probation and 60 hours of community service after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault charges.
     
  2. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    Re: Ron Artest: Go to jail. Go directly to jail.

    Where does it say that he's going to jail? I see some probation, a work project, counseling, a fine, but not jail time.
     
  3. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    Re: Ron Artest: Go to jail. Go directly to jail.

    Yeah, I noticed that, too. I probably should change the headline. I had just watched it on ESPNews, which said he was sentenced to 20 days of jail, and posted the AP story without reading it. So I blame ESPNews. :D
     
  4. Wait a minute. ESPN got something wrong?
     
  5. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    50 games, Stern. Without pay.

    Goodell has set the pace, now pick it up.
     
  6. RokSki

    RokSki New Member

    I really hope someone can reach Artest, if not for him, then for his wife and his children.
     
  7. kingcreole

    kingcreole Active Member

    Artest will never learn. Never. I'm tired of the "He's changed" bullshit we hear from ESPN, or that he's "misunderstood." Get this sick fuck away from people and throw him in a pound-me-in-the-ass prison. Oh, and the NBA needs to suspend him. Without pay. Now.
     
  8. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    He's not going to jail, a 10 day suspendd sentence means he'll never see jail on this case until he kills a family member. I'd like to say that he got special treatment because he's a rich and powerful sports star, on because of his intellectual and emotional retardation he was cut some significant slack, but the truth of the matter is that most people who did wat RonRon did rarely get sentenced to anything probation, community service and counseling. He got away with it. You know how you can if someone gets away with it? When the defense attorney comes out of court and says "We're very happy..."
     
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