Kanye West placed on probation over scuffle with photographer

[March 18, 2014]  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — Rapper Kanye West was placed on a two-year probation on Monday and ordered to complete community service and anger management sessions after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges stemming from an altercation with a photographer last year, a court spokeswoman said.

Grammy-winning West, 36, did not appear at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse and the no contest plea was entered on his behalf by his attorney Blair Berk. Photographer Daniel Ramos attended the hearing with his attorney, Gloria Allred.

West was placed on probation for 24 months and will have to complete 240 hours of community service and 24 anger management sessions. The rapper will be formally booked but will not have to spend any time in jail.

He will be required back in court for a restitution hearing and progress update on July 17.

West and Ramos were involved in a scuffle outside of the Los Angeles International Airport in July, which was captured in a video posted on celebrity news website TMZ. It showed the rapper appearing to lunge at Ramos.

West has become a frequent target of paparazzi after striking up a romance last year with reality TV star Kim Kardashian. The couple's first child, a baby girl named North West, was born in June, and they are now engaged to marry.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Eric Kelsey and Lisa Shumaker)

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