Chris Brown Pleas Guilty & Avoids Jail Time

With Rihanna set to break her silence for the first time in her assault case, Chris Brown reached a plea agreement that spared him jail time, it was announced Mnday.

Brown, 20, will be sentenced to five years probation and 180 days of community labor in Virginia. If he meets the terms of his sentence, he will face no jail time.

L.A. Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg said Brown was pleading to a felony. "I want Mr. Brown to be treated the same as any other defendant who would come into this court," she said. "That means something like Caltrans [trash pickup] or graffiti removal, and a two-week domestic violence program."

Brown had been charged with two felony counts – assault and making criminal threats – in the alleged fight that left Rihanna bruised and bloodied.

The plea deal was reached shortly before Rihanna, 21, was to testify under subpoena in a preliminary hearing.

Brown, wearing gray suit, off-white tie, and matching handkerchief in front pocket, entered the courtroom shortly after 1:30 p.m. About 10 of his friends and family, including his mother, were seated in the audience. Rihanna was in the courthouse but had not gone into the courtroom.

According to a search warrant, Rihanna was assaulted during an argument that began when she read text messages from another woman on Brown's phone as they driving in a Lamborghini in L.A. the morning before the pair were both scheduled to perform on the Grammy Awards.

An enraged Brown allegedly tried to force her out of the car, hit her head against the passenger window, punched in her left eye and drove away while steering with one hand and continuing to punch her with the other, says the detective's notes in the search warrant.

As blood filled Rihanna's mouth, Brown allegedly told her, "I'm going to beat the s--- out of you when we get home. You wait and see!" Rihanna called her assistant and left a message saying, "I am on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there." The police notes say that prompted Brown to reply: "You just did the stupidest thing ever. Now I'm really going to kill you."

[Source]

This is BEYOND ridiculous. I'm sick and tired of celebrities getting off scotch free with crimes and violent acts that ordinary people would pay for, and like I've said repeatedly, until Chris takes some responsibility I just can't respect or support him as an artist.

That said, given this verdict, I guess I have to take back the comments I originally made about his career, but one thing is for certain, this will follow him forever.