Exactly two months after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, this Monday, May 4, Britney Spears pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In this case, being guilty is an advantage. For the artist, this admission of guilt will prevent her from going to jail.
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The 44-year-old singer has been sentenced to 12 months of probation and one day in jail, which is already counted as served time, because when she was arrested she spent a few hours in the police station. The Court also requires her to see a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month, according to media such as NBC and People. The magazine adds that she has also been ordered to pay a fine of $517 (about 440 euros at the current exchange rate). According to Page Six, the artist must attend a three-month course (and complete a total of 30 hours of classes) for drivers who have driven under the influence of alcohol.
Since the offense was minor, the artist was not required to attend the hearing held at the Ventura County Superior Court — north of Los Angeles, where the incident occurred —. She did not attend. It was her lawyers who submitted the guilty plea on her behalf during the hearing before Ventura County Commissioner Matthew Nemerson.
It has not been an easy month for the singer. After her arrest in March, last Friday it was revealed that the 44-year-old Womanizer singer had been formally charged by the Ventura County Prosecutor’s Office with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Additionally, in mid-April, the singer voluntarily decided to enter a rehabilitation clinic for a couple of weeks.
The judge reminded defense attorney Michael Goldstein that, although the singer is only guilty of a minor traffic code offense, any conviction for driving under the influence within the next 10 years will count as her second offense of this type, and therefore would be more serious. “Through her plea today, Britney has accepted responsibility for her conduct,” Goldstein explained in a statement released by NBC. “She has taken significant steps to implement positive change, which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney’s decision to reduce the charge in this case. Britney appreciates this discretion and is also grateful for the great support she has received,” the statement adds.
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The fact that Spears voluntarily went through rehabilitation — a center she left a few days ago — also helped improve the judge’s view of her. As the Prosecutor’s Office stated in a release on Friday, when the accused has no prior record of driving under the influence and their driving has not caused an accident or injuries, the magistrate usually offers to allow a plea of “reckless driving under the influence,” which would help reduce the penalty.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko spoke to the press after the reading of charges and assured that if, from now on, a law enforcement officer stops Spears, the singer will have to undergo a test to detect the presence of alcohol or drugs. Also, her vehicle may be searched for such substances and she cannot drive “with any narcotic in her body.” “One of the key components of this morning’s disposition was to ensure that Spears continues with her mental health and substance abuse regimen. We fully support her doing so,” he added, according to Page Six.
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The last few years have not been easy for Britney Spears. It has been almost five years since she managed to free herself from her father’s guardianship, who controlled her personal, professional, and financial life for 13 years. During this time, she has experienced ups and downs. She married and divorced dancer Sam Asghari in just one year. She became pregnant with him just a month before the wedding but lost the baby she was expecting.
During this time, the singer released a controversial memoir revealing some of the most complex chapters of her youth, from being forced to take lithium to how her famous ex-partner, Justin Timberlake, broke up with her via text messages. But beyond that, she has not released musical works, performed concerts, or participated in advertising or activities that generate any income — although her financial situation has improved significantly after selling her music catalog last February. She has also had an intermittent relationship with her children, now adults and born from her union with Kevin Federline, with whom it seems she has resumed her relationship in recent weeks.
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