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Sentence...
[From
MTV News]
Bobby Brown Sentenced For Probation
Violations After being
picked up by police during a romantic dinner with wife Whitney Houston on
Friday, Bobby Brown will be taking his meals behind bars for the next week
and a half.
Brown was sentenced to 14 days in jail by DeKalb County State Court Judge
Wayne Purdom on Wednesday morning (August 27) after his arrest Friday on
probation violations, according to a court spokesperson (see "Bobby Brown
Arrested While Eating Out With Whitney").
His two-week sentence — he was given credit for the five days he's already
spent in the slammer — will be followed by 60 days of house arrest during
which he may leave home to attend a local substance-abuse center. Brown, 34,
appeared before Judge Purdom Wednesday morning and was ordered to undergo
another drug assessment, as well as complete all of the previous conditions
of his probation, which include attendance of Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous
meetings and completion of his court-ordered community service.
Among the probation violations listed by the judge were failure to report to
a probation officer, complete a risk-reduction program, attend Alcoholics
Anonymous meetings, submit to random drug tests and complete
community-service requirements. Brown could be released as early as Friday
with credit for good time served, according to a DeKalb County Sheriff's
Office spokesperson.
Brown spent eight days in jail and was ordered to serve two years of
probation as part of a sentence handed down in January for a 1996
drunk-driving arrest.
The singer was arrested at the Atlantic Seafood Company restaurant in
Alpharetta, Georgia, on Friday while dining with Houston. Though local media
reports had the Grammy-winning diva shouting at the police as they took her
husband away on Friday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on
Wednesday that she was calm during the court proceeding, showing her support
for Brown with hugs and kisses.
A warrant was issued for Brown on July 17 when authorities said they had
proof he had not complied with the requirements of probation, but police had
been unable to find him at the home he shares with Houston near Alpharetta.
The cops were alerted to Brown's presence at the restaurant by an anonymous
tipster.
Brown was unable to report to his probation officer due to a crushed elbow,
his lawyer said in court, according to a Journal-Constitution story, adding
that the former New Edition star may also have been smarting from the deaths
of seven family members over the past few months. His lawyer also reportedly
said that Brown served 80 hours of community service in California, but
Judge Purdom said he will be credited with only 40, since the original order
specified that he perform the community service in Georgia.
This was the second time this year that a warrant had been issued for
Brown's arrest. A bench warrant was issued in January after the R&B singer
attended the American Music Awards in Los Angeles instead of a court
appointment in DeKalb County, where he was awaiting trial for the 1996
arrest. During that stop, police charged that Brown was driving his red
Mercedes erratically and he was charged with driving under the influence,
speeding, failing to maintain lane and having no proof of insurance.
Brown was arrested in Atlanta on November 7 of last year on charges of
marijuana possession, speeding and having no driver's license or proof of
insurance (see "Bobby Brown Arrested For Drug Possession, Speeding" ). It
was at that point that authorities realized the older case had fallen
through the cracks when Brown failed to show for his original court date in
1997.
—Gil Kaufman
NEWSFILE: 27 AUGUST 2003
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