Chris Brown Sentenced (Video)

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Chris Brown was formally sentenced in a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday (August 25) stemming from his February altercation with then-girlfriend Rihanna.

The terms of the plea deal the singer agreed to last month in the case are largely the same, including 180 days of community labor work, a year of domestic-abuse counseling and five years’ probation. The judge, however, did not lift the protective order issued against Brown, warning him that he must stay away from Rihanna for five years, until August 25, 2014, when his probation period is over.

Judge Patricia Schnegg then told Brown she is not one to believe hearsay, but she informed the singer she was “not immune from the chatter that has been on the airwaves” about meetings between the couple. When asked if he understood the protective order and the conditions — which require the singer to stay at least 100 yards from Rihanna or 10 yards away from her during music-industry events they both attend — Brown quietly told the judge “yes.”

The singer will be required to report to a probation officer in Los Angeles and return to California every three months to see Schnegg. Brown is scheduled to appear back in court November 19 to update the judge on his status, which will include proof of his enrollment in a domestic-abuse program by the Commonwealth Catholic Charities. Brown is due to report to probation in 72 hours following Tuesday’s hearing.

In addition to the terms of his plea deal and the protective order, Brown must also pay a number of fees and fines, while also being subject to random searches and seizures.

Rihanna’s attorney, Donald Etra, was also present at the hearing. Rihanna did not press charges against Brown, but her lawyer had attended other court dates since the incident. Etra declined to speak on the nature of his client’s relationship with Brown and would not comment regarding the sentence.

He did say Rihanna was told at the last hearing, which she attended, the conditions of Brown’s plea deal and did not object to the punishment. At the last hearing, Etra stated that Rihanna did not wish to impose the protective order, but the judge said she would keep it. Rihanna may move to modify the terms, Etra explained, but it’s under the court to decide to change it or not.

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