By David Ovalle, McClatchy Newspapers –
MIAMI BEACH — Prosecutors on Monday dropped a misdemeanor battery charge against Gloria Marie James, the mother of Miami Heat star LeBron James, and she will complete community service for a charge of disorderly intoxication.
Miami Beach police arrested Gloria James in April after she got into an early morning confrontation with a valet at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel. James was accused of slapping Rockfeller Sorel, an incident caught on a grainy surveillance footage.
Sorel is suing James and a trial is set in civil court in April.
As part of Monday’s agreement announced in court, James will pay a $1,000 donation to a Haiti earthquake relief fund and serve 20 hours of community service. If she completes the community service, the intoxication charge will be dropped.
James’ lawyers, Christopher Lyons and Sandy Becher, declined to comment because of the civil lawsuit.
