Kanye West pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery against photographer Daniel Ramos in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday (March 17).
In a special plea deal entered through his attorney, the Yeezus MC, who did not have to appear in court because the charge was just a misdemeanor, maintained his innocence by agreeing to two years of probation, “Level 2” anger management counseling (24 therapy sessions) and 250 hours of community service.
Additionally, the plea arrangement calls for West to pay restitution to Ramos and spend one day in jail, though he will likely be booked and immediately released. The grand theft charge was dismissed.
The “Blood On The Leaves” rapper was originally charged with misdemeanor counts of battery and grand theft after an altercation at LAX last July with a paparazzo, who claimed West punched him unprovoked and wrestled his camera to the ground.
The plea of no contest was advantageous for West because he avoids the expense and publicity of a trial and his plea cannot be used against him in any civil suit that Ramos and his lawyer, Gloria Allred, plan to bring against him for the same act.
The city pursued the misdemeanor charges against West after prosecutors declined to file felony charges for the incident. Each count could have landed the 36-year-old spitter in jail for up to six months or cost him $1,000 in fines.
West, who made light of his history of aggression against the paparazzi with his guest verse on Rick Ross’ “Sanctified,” was first arrested in September of 2008 for scuffling with photographers at LAX, but those cases were dismissed after he completed anger management therapy sessions and paid the photographers for their broken equipment.
Back in January, West avoided assault charges stemming from an altercation in a Beverly Hills medical office with an 18-year old man. The LA district attorney declined to file charges and a civil settlement was reached with the man.
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