Chad Johnson has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating probation after he playfully slapped his lawyer on the butt in court.
The former NFL star was in court for violating probation, and he was almost off the hook until his playful attitude got him in serious trouble with Judge Kathleen McHugh.
Judges have been expressing their concern that Chad hasn’t been taking probation seriously after he failed to meet with his probation officer in three months, and after he proved them right the judge didn’t even want to consider giving him a plea bargain.
The original deal meant that Evelyn Lozada’s ex wouldn’t have to serve a day in jail and instead he would be spending his time with community service and counseling along with three more months of probation.
As the trial was about to come to a close, Judge McHugh asked Johnson if he was happy with his lawyer’s work.
Instead of replying with a simple “yes” and expressing his gratitude, Ochocinco patted his attorney Adam Swickle on the butt.
While the rest of the courtroom laughed at the butt slap Judge McHugh found nothing humorous about it and wiped Chad’s smile right off his face.
“I don’t know that you’re taking this whole thing seriously,” she said as she looked upon him with disappointment. “I just saw you slap your attorney on the backside. Is there something funny about this?”
Suddenly the courts got quiet and all the laughs died away completely as McHugh decided not to accept the plea deal.
“The whole courtroom was laughing,” she continued. “I’m not going to accept these plea negotiations. This isn’t a joke.”
The 35-year-old athlete tried to apologize, but it was much too late.
“This is your courtroom,” he responded. “I have no intent to make this a joke. It’s not funny.”
Of course, we must point out that even Chad had the giggles after patting his attorney’s butt. The only reason he didn’t find it funny anymore was that he realized he would be facing jail time for his immature gesture.
Either way he continued to plea for forgiveness claiming that he was simply trying to make light of things during a very dark time in his life.
“My life is in shambles right now and I try my best to laugh and keep a smile on my face,” he pleaded.
Needless to say the judge wasn’t hearing it. Perhaps if this was the firs time he did something to offend the courts she would be willing to forgive, but this was his final straw.
“It’s not the first time he’s behaved that way in my courtoom,” McHugh said as Chad continued to ask for forgiveness.
Even his attorney did his best to try to clean up the mess.
“He has suffered,” Swickle told the judge. “He has lost everything.”
Not everything…. This was the firs time that Ochocinco would also be losing his freedom in the midst of losing his marriage and his career.
