Chad Ochocinco gets 30 days in jail for slapping his lawyer’s booty in court

Chad Ochocinco

You’re looking at the latest mugshot of one Chad Ochocinco. Last time we spoke of Ocho, (and I know he legally changed his name back to Johnson, but to me, he’s stuck with the Ochocinco moniker), he was standing in the shadows of his shattered marriage to Evelyn Lozada. If you’ll recall, Evelyn filed for divorce last August after only six weeks of marriage to Chad. At the time, Chad had just been arrested for allegedly head-butting Evelyn after she asked him about a receipt for a box of condoms. This wasn’t the first brush that Chad has had with the law either. In 2000, he was arrested for allegedly slapping his then-girlfriend around, and he plea bargained out of a jail sentence.

Following the 2012 with Evelyn, Chad was put on probation again, and now Chad’s back in trouble with the law (as of 5/20) after violating said probation by failing to report to his probation officer and deciding he was too busy to enroll in a required domestic violence education class. Today, Chad was supposed to attend a simple hearing wherein his lawyer had worked out an extremely generous deal for community service and counseling instead of jail time. Unfortunately for Chad, he decided to get funky during the court hearing and slapped his lawyer’s ass, and the judge on the case got so angry about it that she immediately sent Ocho to jail for 30 days. For the curious, Ocho’s attorney is male (as if that matters), and his name is Adam B. Swickle. Here’s a photo of Swickle (shown at a 2012 hearing on Chad’s behalf) just so you can have the visual effect while reading the story:

Adam Swickle

Ex-NFL star Chad Johnson — formerly known as Chad Ochocinco — was arrested and sentenced to 30 days in jail on Monday, June 10, after getting kicked out of a courtroom for slapping his lawyer’s butt. The incident occurred in Broward County, Fla., where Johnson, 35, was in court to face charges of violating probation following his 2012 domestic violence case with ex-wife Evelyn Lozada.

According to TMZ, Johnson’s male attorney was close to finalizing a “favorable” deal that would have mandated community service and counseling instead of jail time. However, those terms were taken off the table when, in response to the judge asking if he was satisfied with his lawyer, Johnson reportedly gave the attorney a playful swat on his rear. The courtroom erupted in laughter — but the judge took offense to the gesture.

“I don’t know that you’re taking this whole thing seriously,” ABC News quoted the judge as saying. “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 attempted to apologize — but to no avail. “This is your courtroom. I have no intent to make this a joke. It’s not funny,” he reportedly said. “My life is in a shambles right now, and I try my best to laugh and keep a smile on my face.”

Appalled at his behavior, the judge threw out the original deal and instead sentenced Johnson to spend 30 days in jail. Additionally, his probation was extended until Dec. 21, 2013, and he must complete 25 hours of community service.

[From Us Weekly]

God, this is so weird. I can’t even begin to understand why Chad would think it was okay (or even customary) to slap his lawyer’s ass in the middle of a courtroom. Did he think he was on the football field or something? I don’t even know what to do with this. Maybe Chad will get his butt slapped in jail. He seems to like that sort of thing.

Adam Swickle

Chad Ochocinco

Chad Ochocinco

Photos courtesy of WENN

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50 Responses to “Chad Ochocinco gets 30 days in jail for slapping his lawyer’s booty in court”

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  1. bluecalling says:

    i just cant… ugh. although not agreeing with what he did, 30 days in jail is a lot much. I don’t know what the judge was thinking… lets just jail all black men who do anything wrong… i mean, is this the season of frisk-shoot-jail with no sense of humane duscretion and black men are tge target? but tgis has gone on for time eternal and i guess it will continue.

    I’m not even a fan if this guy and it makes me boil. America, get over your biased jail culture because the joke is now on all if us.

    • coe says:

      Please don’t use the race card to save face for this girlfriend/wife-beating, arrogant loser. Save it for someone who actually deserves sympathy b/c Ocho is an embarassment in every way one can think of.

      • WTF says:

        @ Tapioca – actually, the whole point of the article is that he was sentenced to 30 days in jail because he slapped his lawyer on the butt. The judge had already decided that the domestic violence charge and the probation violation did NOT warrant any jail time and she had accepted the plea. Instead she got angry because she found the butt slapping offensive.

        Meanwhile, Lindsey Lohan is still free.

        Pretending that minorities don’t have a COMPLETELY different experience in the legal system is almost as offensive as the judge’s ridiculous abuse of power.

    • Tapioca says:

      He didn’t get jail time because he’s black, he got 30 days because he’s a spouse-abusing idiot who violated his probation and showed contempt for the court.

      First rule of law is that judges have zero sense of humour.

    • steph says:

      I wouldnt dream of defending an abuser. But I see the tossing out of the plea deal as quite separate from the domestic violence. In the sense that he wouldnt be in jail had he not slapped his lawyers ass. If he had been in court for a traffic violation and had slapped his lawyers bum that judge would have held him to be in contempt and tossed him in jail. I am not convinced she would have reacted the same way with a white defendant. The fact is that oyr judges do have a knee jack lock-him-up reaction to black people and especially black men.

      I am still tryna figure out whether the slap was one of those impulsive/muscle memory moves from a career athlete. Or a douchey good-job-sticking-it-to-the-bitchez-bro. Either way, a white athlete WOULD have gotten away with it going by history .

    • Dani says:

      Up until he slapped his attorney’s ass, he wasn’t going to jail, so it’s definitely not because he’s black. It’s because he’s a woman beating loser.

    • ya says:

      Does seem harsh but he might have made a bad impression in front of the judge – even aside from the slapping, and ya that might be due to race…… one of my old firm’s clients actually punched my ex-boss in court! There were no consequences – he kept the client on actually and continued to represent her!

    • jess says:

      Can I just point out that this was in FLORIDA, while all of Lindsay’s antics were in a CALIFORNIA court. Different laws, different levels of jail crowding etc.

      On that note, he was not sentenced to 30 days for slapping his lawyer’s butt, his plea agreement was thrown out because he showed that he was not taking it seriously. Why cut someone slack if they think it’s all a joke? He was sentenced to 30 days FOR VIOLATING HIS PAROLE.

    • Cecila says:

      That’s because those of u who say “the race card doesn’t work” is because your not black

  2. Esmom says:

    “I can’t even begin to understand why Chad would think it was okay (or even customary) to slap his lawyer’s ass in the middle of a courtroom.”

    I think I can understand it, the guy is just clueless and arrogant. I just saw the clip and it was a typical athlete move…I think he was trying to be sort of funny and charming for whatever reason and had no idea the judge would get so upset by it. Lesson learned: court proceedings should be taken seriously, no matter who you are.

    • Erinn says:

      Plus, it’s pretty unlikely that he’ll serve the full 30 days. The judge was being televised, she was trying to keep control of the situation and to her, he made her look dumb by everyone chuckling at his foolish showboating.

      His PR people will force an apology out of him, he’ll pretend to be deeply embarrassed by his actions, and released.

    • Naye in VA says:

      Yea, I think the judge was trying to make an example. Chad’s the dum,y that let them do it. Heyyy FLorida!
      I really like that leather suit for some reason.

    • Xera says:

      This is a revolting abuse of power on the judge part as Ochocinco didn’t intend to offend.

      • Skins says:

        I think you are right. I mean, it wasn’t the smartest move by Chad no doubt, but come on, he barely tapped the guy on the butt and if the people hadn’t laughed the judge wouldn’t even have known. That judge is one angry woman. 30 days in jail for that is ridiculous

      • bluhare says:

        I think I agree. 30 day for a congratulory slap on the butt? Tasteless and arrogant, yes. But criminal?

    • claire says:

      I think it was instinctive, really. The judge just gave a whole talk about what a good job the lawyer did, thank your lawyer, etc. Chad agrees and does what he’s done probably thousands of times. Had the spectators not laughed, I doubt the judge would have felt the need to save face and give the sentence.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      30 days is ridiculous. That being said, this guy is a major major toolshed.

      I agree with Esmom’s assessment of the situation. So many of these athletes are coddled from such a young age and granted a very wide margin of forgiveness for their repellent behavior from the public. It doesn’t excuse his arrogance but I think as a society we are partially to blame for creating these ego monsters.

      • marie says:

        soo Kitten, the Patriots + Tebow, what is that about? (I was shocked)

      • V4Real says:

        @marie It’s called sympathy that boy will never play but better the Patriots than the Giants.

      • Esmom says:

        “…as a society we are partially to blame for creating these ego monsters.”

        Hear, hear. I have two young teen sons and they are HUGE sports fans and I’m so bothered by the worship of some of these “heroes.”

        I’d like to think they are learning valuable life lessons about the misbehavior of guys like Ochocinco and I try to steer the conversations towards people who are actual heroes. Thankfully we have many examples of those as well, who just don’t get as much attention by the media.

  3. Latisse says:

    WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS GUY?

  4. Arock says:

    Stupid is as stupid does.
    However- as prosecution of athletes go the fact that he get 30 day for touching his counsel and Rothesberger (sp?) is roaming around with KY on his hand and a bro squad behind him is a perfect example of how skewed the law can be.

    • Jag says:

      He got 30 days because the plea agreement wasn’t accepted. Had he not abused his ex and violated probation, he wouldn’t have been in court in the first place.

  5. EIleen says:

    You have to look at his football career as a whole-it is surreal-he had talent but his megalomania ruined it making him impossible to have on a team without severe disruption to team unity. Impossible to coach, etc. Unfortunately the public likes train wrecks. As far as this incident the judge will probably amend his sentence and reduce it.

    • V4Real says:

      Chad can be arrogant but he did have talent. His chemistry with his teammates was nonexistence.
      But I think his downfall was Evelyn; he should have listened to people when they said don’t marry that violent woman; yes violent. Anyone who has seen that show knows she let’s her fist solve any disputes she had with the other ladies. Still I’m not excusing Chad putting his hands on her. I understand that he has to pay his dues but 30 days come on. Why does Lindsay Lohan always get off so easy. Such a messed up court system we have.

      • MonicaQ says:

        She is/was a firecracker. I remember being at Miami training camp and the woman was trying to fight someone in the crowd just because the Hardknock cameras were there. If you think Chad was a fame junkie, she was waaaaaaaaaaay worse.

  6. lem says:

    I think people need to realize that he didn’t get 30 days for slapping his attorneys ass. He got 30 days for failing to comply with the terms of his DV probation.
    DV is a big deal. He showed the court that he wasn’t taking his probation seriously by acting the way he did in court. His reasoning for not complying with the terms of his probation were bogus (he’s unemployed– how does he not have time to complete DV courses?!). The ass slap was the final straw for the judge– she saw that he really didn’t think these probation requirements seriously. Why should she give him a generously lenient deal when he doesn’t take it seriously?

    • coe says:

      +100. I applaud the judge who sentenced Ocho to 30 days in jail – let him sit in a cell and think about his poor choices over the last few years.

      • Jenny says:

        I don’t applaud the judge at all. If you watch the video, you can tell that Ochocinco was not trying to be funny; in fact he seemed miffed that people began laughing. I think he is just immature and sheltered from the real world, as are many professional athletes. The judge was embarrassed. There were TV cameras in court and the judge probably felt slighted, particularly by the people laughing. Instead of reminding him that these are serious proceedings and that he was being inappropriate, she decided to send him to jail. I think the judge’s ego is almost as big as Ochocinco’s.

      • bluhare says:

        An embarrassed judge equals 30 days in jail?

      • lem says:

        @Jenny
        I did watch the video and he was absolutely not taking the proceedings seriously. He made a mockery of her courtroom by treating it like a football field. What did he expect the people to do when he slapped his attorney’s ass? He’s just pissed that it got him the punishment he deserved. Comply with your DV probation (or heck, DON’T HEADBUTT YOUR WIFE) and you won’t find yourself in this situation.

  7. Micki says:

    …”and I try my best to laugh and keep a smile on my face.”

    He’s searching for humour in the wrong place.

  8. marie says:

    he is the definition of a dumbass..

  9. ChocoChipDstryr says:

    His lawyer’s name sounds like the kind they give people in Witness Protection.

  10. Daz London says:

    Why couldn’t Lindsey Lohan do us all a favour and get this judge

    • lem says:

      seriously. can you imagine how she would have reacted after the “f*ck you” fingernails? i so so so wish that Lohan would get a judge with this kind of courtroom. lohan would have been in jail a few times over at this point.

      • Nicolette says:

        Agreed. But maybe if a judge would actually be as harsh with her as they should be, she might have learned a lesson by now. It’s a joke to her, she knows she’s going to get over. Same with this idiot, and all celebs who think they are above the law and don’t seem to have a clue how to act in a courtroom. The “Don’t you know who I am”, get out of jail free card should be put to rest. They need to be held up to the same laws and justice system that we are.

    • Tara says:

      THIS.

      I know the guy is a total piece of shit, but crackhead Lohan pulls these sorts of shenanigans in court and nothing ever happens to her. What a joke.

  11. Nerd Alert says:

    What an idiot. I have no tolerance for ego driven sports stars, or any other stars for that matter, it just seems that the worst ones tend to be athletes.

    Anyway, 30 days is a bit much, but the judge is right–he was not taking it seriously. Someone should have taught him to be solemn, respectful, and serious in court because you never know what will piss off a judge, and most of them have huge egos as well.

  12. diva says:

    I’m not a fan of his but this judge is ridiculous. That was not worth putting someone in jail over. She could have called him out and left it at that. Little power hungry? Funny he gets put in jail for this but other celebs get slaps on the wrist for more steps stuff. Judicial system is a joke.

    • Irishae says:

      It is definitely possible to separate one’s distaste of Chad and the judge’s reaction. Chad is gross and deserves punishment for his crimes. That judge was Not The One and that was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

      Athletes aren’t the brightest bulbs and he expressed his relief in the typical ass-pat fashion. I agree that was a petty power move by the judge that had nothing to do with his crime, wasn’t hostile in nature, and was not a slight against the judge herself (unlike Lohan’s F-You nails). The people in the courtroom who laughed, thereby contributing to the “joke,” should be held in contempt by the same reasoning. I dunno.

  13. Veritas says:

    Once a moron, always a moron.

  14. Ok says:

    I saw the video of the ass slapping. It was so subtle. It was almost like it was just a reflex action. Like a pat on the shoulder

    To me it looks like he did it without putting much thought into it. You look at his face and it is not registering any snarkiness

  15. Knitty says:

    Why do people keep bringing up Lindsay Lohan? There’s no comparison. She has no domestic violence convictions. And when did she ever slap her lawyer?

  16. DeltaJuliet says:

    I feel no sympathy. If you’re in court, it’s usually because you f’ed up in some way. A defendant needs to show respect for the court of law and pretty much the only appropriate things to do or say are “Yes sir/ma’am” and “No sir/ma’am”.

    I had to appear in court a few months ago as a witness and I agonized the night before about what to wear to look appropriate. I get to court and there are people walking around in PJ pants, white t-shirts with no bras, etc. It was insane and frankly I was ashamed for how a lot of our society has become. And lest you think I’m TERRIBLY old, I’m only a little old. I’m 35.

    So tough shit for Ochocinco. He’s an entitled dipshit and would probably be the first to say “Do you know who I am?” when commanding respect from others. Looks like a hard lesson learned. Hopefully he did learn and others will too.