Kanye West on 2 years’ probation after no-contest plea to battery
Kanye West entered a no-contest plea Monday to a charge of battery stemming from his tangle with a paparazzo last September at Los Angeles International Airport.
As part of the deal, the “Yeezus” rapper faces no jail time, instead getting sentenced to two years’ probation, 24 anger-management sessions and 250 hours of community service, L.A. Now reported. He must also stay 100 yards away from the victim, videographer Danny Ramos.
West was charged originally with misdemeanor counts of battery and attempted grand theft, allegedly having tried to take Ramos’ equipment, but the latter charge was dropped in the plea deal.
Kim Kardashian’s future husband did not appear in court Monday, instead having his attorney enter the plea for him. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt.
In video taken from the videographer’s point of view on the day of the LAX incident, the pap can be heard talking at the rapper until West turns away from his waiting car and approaches Ramos, saying, “What you’re trying to do is get me in trouble, so I step off and have to pay you like $250,000.” At that point the visuals go all over the place as the camera is obviously rattled around. Ramos fell down as West tried to take the camera from him.
As it is, West was ordered by the court to pay for Ramos’ equipment and any medical bills he incurred, TMZ said.
But a bigger payday for the videographer may still come, according to his attorney, Gloria Allred, who spoke outside court in a news conference streamed live by TMZ. Ramos intends to pursue his civil case against the rapper, whom she said she believes ought to have gone to jail.
“I do think he needed that kind of education,” Allred said, “and I think that would have been very beneficial to him.”
As far as the stay-away order is concerned, Ramos has “no interest” in covering West anymore, she said.
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