AUBURN, Calif., March 22 (UPI) -- Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest pleaded innocent Thursday morning to physically abusing his wife, Kimsha.
During Artest's short appearance in Placer County Superior Court, Judge Frances Kearney imposed a temporary restraining order that requires Artest to stay at least 100 yards away from his wife and home and limits him to telephone contact, the Sacramento Bee reported. Artest, who is charged with four misdemeanor counts, left the courthouse without saying anything.
His lawyer, William Portanova, suggested the restraining order had been mutually agreed to.
Artest was arrested March 5 at his home in Loomis, Calif., a rural community northwest of Sacramento, after his wife called 911. He was freed on $50,000 bail within hours.
A sheriff's report said that Artest pushed his wife down, slapped her and tried to keep her from calling for help.
Before his marriage, Artest was charged with harassing a girlfriend in New York and, two months later, claimed that Kimsha, not yet his wife, had assaulted him.
