Slap on Rear Gets Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson 30 Days in Jail
Published at
Broward County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images(FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.) — An angry judge sentenced former NFL player Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson to 30 days in jail Monday after Johnson made a playful gesture towards his lawyer while they were in court for a no-jail plea deal on an earlier probation violation.
Johnson, 35, had reached a deal with prosecutors that called for community service and counseling instead of jail on a domestic violence case involving his ex-wife, reality TV star Evelyn Lozada.
Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh had said she would add three months’ probation because Johnson had failed to meet with his probation officer during three previous months.
It was all set until Johnson, when asked by McHugh if he was satisfied with his lawyer, Adam Swickle, gave the attorney a light tap on the rear – as football players routinely do to each other on the field.
The courtroom erupted in laughter, but McHugh apparently was not amused.
“I don’t know that you’re taking this whole thing seriously,” McHugh said. “I just saw you slap your attorney on the backside. Is there something funny about this? The whole courtroom was laughing. I’m not going to accept these plea negotiations. This isn’t a joke.”
Johnson tried to apologize, but the judge wasn’t swayed.
Johnson was handcuffed and led away from the court. He later tweeted to his 4.2 million followers on Twitter, “Love me through the good and the bad because I’m gone love you regardless… See you in 30.”
Swickle did not return an after-hours message left for him by ABC News.
Johnson was accused last year of head-butting Lozada, who was his wife of about a month, after she confronted him upon finding a receipt for a box of condoms.
Lozada, who had appeared on the reality TV show Basketball Wives, filed for divorce shortly after the incident. The couple’s marriage lasted just 41 days.
Johnson pleaded no contest to the charge of misdemeanor domestic battery.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio