Chris Brown pleads guilty to punching fan for photo-bombing
Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty to assault on Tuesday.
His misdeed this time: Breaking the nose of a fan, after the man tried to thrust himself, uninvited, into a picture with the R&B star last year.
The R&B artiste was sentenced to time served in jail, which works out to two days. He was also ordered to pay US$150 (S$188) in court costs. Brown, 25, had rejected a similar plea deal in June.
"I would like to say to the court I am sorry," Brown said.
He had faced six months in jail and a US$1,000 (S$1250) fine. But Judge Franklin Burgess Jr. said he would accept a plea bargain that called for a more lenient sentence.
"I feel he has suffered consequences for what he has done here," Burgess said.
Photo: AFP
As part of the plea agreement, Brown admitted to punching Parker Adams, 20, when he tried to put himself into a photo with two women outside Washington's W Hotel in October 2013.
Brown's bodyguard Christopher Hollosy, 36, was convicted in April on an assault charge for the same incident.
Adams has filed a US$1.5 million(S$1.88 million) lawsuit against Brown and Hollosy.
Last year's scuffle occurred while Brown was on probation for a 2009 felony assault against his then-girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna.
As a result of that assault conviction in Los Angeles, Brown will remain on probation until early 2015. Jailed for nearly three months, he must serve 500 hours of community service.
Brown made his mark in the music world as a teenager. Despite several brushes with the law, he has been able to bounce back professionally.
U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen Jr. said in a statement: "No matter your status or celebrity, you will be held accountable for such conduct in our city." - Reuters
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