LOS ANGELES — Charlotte Hornets star Miles Bridges pleaded no contest Thursday in Los Angeles to one felony count of injuring a child’s parent, agreeing to do so in exchange for three years probation and no jail time.
The restricted free agent who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets will also have to complete 52 weeks of parenting classes, 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and 100 hours of community service as part of the agreement. He had been facing three felony charges — the one he pleaded no contest to, and two others of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
Bridges was in court Thursday morning to accept the conviction and sentence after initially pleading not guilty to three charges earlier this year.
Back in the summer, a woman identified as Bridges’ wife, Mychelle Johnson, posted photos of the alleged abuse inflicted by Bridges. Bruises can be seen on her body along with scratches and other injuries. The photos could be disturbing to some people. Her caption reads in part, “I’m scared and hurting for my kids who were witness to everything.”
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“We believe this resolution was the best avenue to hold Mr. Bridges accountable for his conduct,” the district attorney’s office said. “We also understand through the victim’s representatives that the victim wanted an expedited resolution of the case. The victim and her representatives were consulted about the proposed resolution and agreed with the outcome of the case.”
Bridges also must adhere to a 10-year criminal protective order for the victim, weekly narcotics and marijuana testing and restitution for the victim, the district attorney’s office said. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13.
Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season. His arrest came on the eve of NBA free agency this summer.
His NBA future, at least in the short term, remains most unclear. It’s possible that he still may face disciplinary action from the league, and it would be difficult for some teams to consider signing Bridges given that the season has started and rosters are full in many cases.
The Hornets sent a statement to Channel 9: “We are aware of today’s developments regarding Miles Bridges’ legal situation. We will continue to gather information before determining any potential next steps. Until then, we will have no additional comments.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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