THE CHRIS BROWN VERDICT

Chris Brown & Rihanna making the big news again after his plea bargain - check it out:

(REBLOGGED FROM MOMLOGIC.COM)

Reactions to today's Chris Brown plea deal have been decidedly mixed. Many believe that the singer got off too easy for the February 10 beating of former girlfriend Rihanna. What's most shocking to those following the case is that the 20-year-old Brown will serve no jail time -- only five years of probation.

We asked Robin Sax, a former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, if Brown was treated differently because of his celebrity status. "Of course he was," said Sax. "Anyone who says that they're going to treat a celeb like any other client is kidding themselves." What really makes Brown's punishment seem inconsistent with the seriousness of his crime, explains Sax, are the shocking pictures of Rihanna, her face bruised and beaten, which gave even the casual observer "a sense of what the actual crime was." Ultimately, Sax believes Brown has been forthright in taking responsibility for his crime. "He pleaded to a felony; he's had public humiliation. Yes, he got little better than what he would've gotten if the case had gone to trial -- but that's the nature of a plea deal."

That deal, some believe, is sending the wrong message about domestic violence -- that it's something to take lightly. Sax disagrees. She says, "The most important message will come from Rihanna herself if she takes Brown back."