http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/167167.html
Artest will do public service
Abuse-case plea deal allows the Kings star to avoid jail time.
By Art Campos - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, May 4, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
Sacramento Kings star Ron Artest avoided jail time but is headed for a work-release program and 100 hours of community service after accepting a plea bargain Thursday in his wife-abuse case.
Placer Superior Court Judge Frances Kearney imposed a 20-day jail sentence. However, under the plea bargain, Artest will opt instead for a work program totaling nine days.
In addition, Kearney ordered the basketball player to spend a year in anger management courses and six weeks in a parenting class. He will be on three years' informal probation, which allows police to search him at any time without notice.
Artest did not respond to requests for a statement.
His attorney, William Portanova of Sacramento, said his client, who pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, will apply for the work-release program immediately.
"Ron is accepting full responsibility for his actions," Portanova said. "He made a mistake, and he knows it."
The attorney said Artest's highest priority is to reunite with his wife, Kimsha, and the couple's three children.
"If anyone saw Ron smiling (Thursday) afternoon, it's because he knew he was going to be seeing his children again very soon," Portanova said. "That was the smile of a father off to see the most precious things in the world -- his children."
Three other misdemeanor charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal. They were battery on a spouse, false imprisonment and preventing a victim or witness from reporting a crime.
The charges stemmed from a March 5 incident in which Artest fought with his wife in their Loomis home. Placer County sheriff's reports indicated that Artest slapped his wife, repeatedly pushed her to the floor and initially prevented her from making a phone call to 911.
Artest was arrested, placed in a patrol car with his hands cuffed and booked at the Placer County jail. He was released hours later after posting $50,000 bail.
It was the fifth time deputies had been to Artest's 5-acre, $1.85 million home in Loomis following a 911 call in the past year.
Prior to being traded to the Kings last year, Artest had a history of altercations on and off the basketball court.
Portanova said Thursday that Artest is committed to putting an end to domestic incidents.
"Let me assure you that Ron's counseling program is far above and beyond what the court is ordering," he said. "It is intense, it is personal and it is all-encompassing."
The program chosen for Artest will come from the Center for Fathers and Families, a private, nonprofit agency in south Sacramento run by Sacramento City Unified School District board member Rick Jennings.
"We have been working with his representatives from Day One in an effort to let them know what the center could bring to Mr. Artest," said Jennings, a former wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League.
"I think it's very important for us to pay the consequences for the things we've done wrong. But I also think that we have to learn from our mistakes so we don't repeat those behaviors."
The sentence imposed Thursday is standard in domestic violence cases in Placer County.
In addition to the counseling courses and the probation, it called for Artest to pay $620 in fines and assessments, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or other deadly weapons.
Of his monetary penalties, $400 must be paid to a domestic violence fund, $100 to the Placer County Women's Center, $100 for a restitution fine and $20 for a court security fee.
Instead of the 20 hours of community service time on the standard form, Kearney increased it to 100 hours.
Portanova said he will look into having Artest work with organizations committed to preventing domestic violence to fulfill the community service time.
Kearney also lifted a temporary restraining order that had prevented Artest from being within 100 yards of his wife and children. The judge stressed to Artest that contact with the family be peaceful.
In the courtroom, Sacramento Kings spokesman Troy Hanson sat next to Artest.
"The Kings organization as a whole is happy for Ron that this (incident) is behind him," he said after the sentencing.
National Basketball Association spokesman Tim Frank said the league will withhold comment until it has a chance to review court papers.
Prosecutor Dan Quick did not return a call seeking comment.
Portanova said Artest will fulfill his sentence.
Kings Coach Eric Musselman was sentenced in January to 48 hours in Sacramento County's work-project program as part of a no-contest plea stemming from an October drunken driving arrest. Because of health issues, he instead spent two days wearing an ankle monitor that kept him confined to his home and Arco Arena.
Portanova said he knows of no physical reason Artest cannot serve in the work-release program. He said he and counselors are determined Artest will meet his court-ordered conditions, despite the player's schedule of travel during the off-season.
"There is no chance that Ron would not comply with the court order," he said. "It has to be done. The best we can say is that we are going to make it work, one way or the other."
About the writer: Bee staff writers Bobby Caina Calvan and Sam Amick contributed to this report. The Bee's Art Campos can be reached at (916) 773-2825 or acampos@sacbee.com
Artest will do public service
Abuse-case plea deal allows the Kings star to avoid jail time.
By Art Campos - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, May 4, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
Sacramento Kings star Ron Artest avoided jail time but is headed for a work-release program and 100 hours of community service after accepting a plea bargain Thursday in his wife-abuse case.
Placer Superior Court Judge Frances Kearney imposed a 20-day jail sentence. However, under the plea bargain, Artest will opt instead for a work program totaling nine days.
In addition, Kearney ordered the basketball player to spend a year in anger management courses and six weeks in a parenting class. He will be on three years' informal probation, which allows police to search him at any time without notice.
Artest did not respond to requests for a statement.
His attorney, William Portanova of Sacramento, said his client, who pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, will apply for the work-release program immediately.
"Ron is accepting full responsibility for his actions," Portanova said. "He made a mistake, and he knows it."
The attorney said Artest's highest priority is to reunite with his wife, Kimsha, and the couple's three children.
"If anyone saw Ron smiling (Thursday) afternoon, it's because he knew he was going to be seeing his children again very soon," Portanova said. "That was the smile of a father off to see the most precious things in the world -- his children."
Three other misdemeanor charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal. They were battery on a spouse, false imprisonment and preventing a victim or witness from reporting a crime.
The charges stemmed from a March 5 incident in which Artest fought with his wife in their Loomis home. Placer County sheriff's reports indicated that Artest slapped his wife, repeatedly pushed her to the floor and initially prevented her from making a phone call to 911.
Artest was arrested, placed in a patrol car with his hands cuffed and booked at the Placer County jail. He was released hours later after posting $50,000 bail.
It was the fifth time deputies had been to Artest's 5-acre, $1.85 million home in Loomis following a 911 call in the past year.
Prior to being traded to the Kings last year, Artest had a history of altercations on and off the basketball court.
Portanova said Thursday that Artest is committed to putting an end to domestic incidents.
"Let me assure you that Ron's counseling program is far above and beyond what the court is ordering," he said. "It is intense, it is personal and it is all-encompassing."
The program chosen for Artest will come from the Center for Fathers and Families, a private, nonprofit agency in south Sacramento run by Sacramento City Unified School District board member Rick Jennings.
"We have been working with his representatives from Day One in an effort to let them know what the center could bring to Mr. Artest," said Jennings, a former wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League.
"I think it's very important for us to pay the consequences for the things we've done wrong. But I also think that we have to learn from our mistakes so we don't repeat those behaviors."
The sentence imposed Thursday is standard in domestic violence cases in Placer County.
In addition to the counseling courses and the probation, it called for Artest to pay $620 in fines and assessments, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or other deadly weapons.
Of his monetary penalties, $400 must be paid to a domestic violence fund, $100 to the Placer County Women's Center, $100 for a restitution fine and $20 for a court security fee.
Instead of the 20 hours of community service time on the standard form, Kearney increased it to 100 hours.
Portanova said he will look into having Artest work with organizations committed to preventing domestic violence to fulfill the community service time.
Kearney also lifted a temporary restraining order that had prevented Artest from being within 100 yards of his wife and children. The judge stressed to Artest that contact with the family be peaceful.
In the courtroom, Sacramento Kings spokesman Troy Hanson sat next to Artest.
"The Kings organization as a whole is happy for Ron that this (incident) is behind him," he said after the sentencing.
National Basketball Association spokesman Tim Frank said the league will withhold comment until it has a chance to review court papers.
Prosecutor Dan Quick did not return a call seeking comment.
Portanova said Artest will fulfill his sentence.
Kings Coach Eric Musselman was sentenced in January to 48 hours in Sacramento County's work-project program as part of a no-contest plea stemming from an October drunken driving arrest. Because of health issues, he instead spent two days wearing an ankle monitor that kept him confined to his home and Arco Arena.
Portanova said he knows of no physical reason Artest cannot serve in the work-release program. He said he and counselors are determined Artest will meet his court-ordered conditions, despite the player's schedule of travel during the off-season.
"There is no chance that Ron would not comply with the court order," he said. "It has to be done. The best we can say is that we are going to make it work, one way or the other."
About the writer: Bee staff writers Bobby Caina Calvan and Sam Amick contributed to this report. The Bee's Art Campos can be reached at (916) 773-2825 or acampos@sacbee.com
