Chris Brown admits Rihanna assault

US singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting Rihanna and the two were ordered to stay away from each other, in a deal that keeps the singer out of prison but requires him to clean up graffiti or roadside trash.

Lawyers for Brown, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to assault charges, announced the deal as the singer appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court for a preliminary hearing into the case.
Instead, Brown averted the potentially damaging meeting by entering a plea that will subject him to probation for the next five years as well as force him to perform six months of community service.
Brown's sentence is comparable to other felony sentences when the defendant has no previous record, she said.
Rihanna appeared in court with her lawyer Monday after Brown had left the packed courtroom.

"She was fully prepared to testify to what happened that evening and she would have told the truth," Etra said, brushing off questions concerning the state of Rihanna's current relations with Brown.