Sawt Falasteen - Hornets free agent Bridges avoids jail in domestic violence case

Bridges had originally pleaded not guilty to three domestic violence and child abuse charges in July, which stemmed from an alleged assault of his wife in front of their two children in the Southern California city in June.

After Bridges turned himself in to police and was released on bond his wife, Mychelle Johnson, posted photographs on Instagram that appeared to show injuries to her face and body.

With his no contest plea, Bridges did not admit guilt but agreed to accept conviction and punishment.

The 24-year-old will be required to attend 52 weeks of parenting classes and domestic violence counseling and perform 100 hours of community service.

He will also be barred from owning dangerous weapons and must undergo weekly narcotics tests, the district attorney's office said.

Bridges will also be subject to a 10-year protective order prohibiting him from contacting the victim or being within 100 yards of her.

In a written statement, prosecutors said they consulted the victim about the deal, which they portrayed as balancing their desires to hold Bridges accountable and to expedite the case for the sake of the victim.

Bridges, who was the Hornets' leading scorer in 2021-22, had a $7.9 million qualifying offer from the team when the allegations arose.

He remains a restricted free agent eligible to sign with another NBA team, but the Hornets can match any offer to retain him.

G.AbuOdeh--SF-PST