Chris Brown pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting Rihanna and the two were ordered to stay away from each other, in a deal that keeps the singer out of prison but requires him to clean up graffiti or roadside trash. Brown's plea to a felony charge will subject him to substantial scrutiny by probation officials, and the judge's order rules out any short-term prospects for reconciliation with his pop diva girlfriend as well. The guilty plea came before a preliminary hearing was scheduled to start. Instead, Brown averted the potentially damaging meeting by entering a plea that will subject him to probation for the next five years as well as force him to perform six months of community service. After Brown left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was told that the court had issued a stay-away order requiring that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards from each other.
