Source: Frederick M. Brown / Getty
James Fortune pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife.
Fortune accepted a plea deal of third degree felony charge of assault – family violence. Tuesday, he was sentenced to five years of probation and five days in jail. He must also serve 175 hours of community service and complete a “batterer’s intervention” program and stay away from his wife of 15 years, Cheryl Fortune.
In October 2014, investigators say Fortune hit his wife with a wooden stool, in addition to kicking and throwing her against a wall.
During Tuesday’s court proceeding, ABC13.com reported that the prosecutor read a statement from Fortune’s wife:
“I hope in all of this you get help. Serious help. Although this probation might be like a slap on the wrist, I hope you look at it as a moment to better yourself and change something within you for your future.”
This is the second time Fortune plead guilty to domestic abuse. In 2002, he settled a case in which he was accused of burning his then 4-year-old son with hot water, damaging over 40 percent of his body.
Watch video of his plea deal.
