BROWN GUILTY OF HITTING CAR, BUT NOT THREATS.

Byline: Steve Carney and Rick Orlov Staff Writers

A jury convicted football Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown on Friday of smashing the windows on his wife's car but acquitted him of the more serious charge of threatening to kill her during a July 15 argument.

``I said all along I was not guilty of making threats, and the jury agreed with me,'' Brown, 63, said outside the courthouse, standing with his wife. ``I do take responsibility - full responsibility - for what I did do. I have for all of this.''

``I think the City Attorney's Office had an agenda on this case, and took advantage of my wife.''

Monique Brown, 25, told police her husband said he was going to snap her neck, and that he attacked her 1994 Honda Accord with a shovel, authorities said. She made the 911 call from a neighbor's house after the couple fought at their Hollywood Hills home.

Monique Brown later recanted, saying she made up the story to humiliate her husband, whom she believed was having an affair. The couple asked to drop the charges, but the City Attorney's Office went ahead with its prosecution.

The eight-man, four-woman jury deliberated for more than 10 hours before returning its verdicts. During the trial a psychiatrist the defense hired said Monique Brown made up the allegations because of a personality disorder.

Mike Qualls, spokesman for the City Attorney's Office, said Brown wasn't targeted because of his celebrity.

``Because of where we are on the map, over the years we have prosecuted a lot of people with recognizable surnames,'' Qualls said. ``It's a fairly routine occurrence, and we deal with it that way.''

Brown played running back for the Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965, and held the career and single-season records for rushing yards when he retired. He began an acting career that included roles in ``The Dirty Dozen,'' ``Ice Station Zebra,'' ``The Running Man,'' ``I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' and ``Mars Attacks!''

Qualls said that for nearly 15 years the office has prosecuted domestic-violence cases even if the victim recants - which happens about 75 percent of the time. The policy is designed to protect victims by prosecuting even if they've been intimidated by their attackers.

``Cases can go forward and the batterer doesn't have that kind of power and control,'' said Dr. Deirdre Anglin, associate professor of emergency medicine at USC. ``When you talk to most victims, they don't want to leave, they just want the violence to stop.''

In 1986 Brown's then-fiancee declined to press charges after he allegedly beat her - just one episode in a string of run-ins with police.

In 1965 he was acquitted of assaulting an 18-year-old woman. In 1968 he was charged with intent to murder after his girlfriend went over a balcony; the charge was dropped when she insisted she fell. In 1971 two women refused to testify at trial, so battery charges were dropped. In 1978 Brown paid a fine and spent a day in jail after beating up a golf partner. And in 1985 charges that he hit and raped a woman were dropped.

In spite of Qualls' assertion, Linda Mills, associate professor of social work at New York University, said celebrities often get special treatment from police, prosecutors and even the public.

``They've been protected. They're famous and the people love them. We revere these men, and it's difficult to see another side of their lives,'' she said. ``People who we think do wondrous things, those icons, become what's important to us at a pretty profound level. We don't want to see any negative sides to them.''

She said the murder trial of O.J. Simpson - also a football and movie star - changed the trend, however. Noting Nicole Brown Simpson's accusations of domestic violence before her slaying, Mills said prosecutors will now tend to go after athletes more vigorously, to deflect accusations they're being lenient and to keep violence from escalating.

``If that happened again, that would be big trouble for (City Attorney) Jim Hahn and (District Attorney) Gil Garcetti,'' she said.

Brown's attorney, William T. Graysen, said he considered the verdict a victory, but expects to battle the City Attorney's Office over sentencing.

``The main issue was that of threats, and Mr. Brown was found innocent of that. Jim Brown said all along that he broke a window, and the jury found him guilty of that,'' he said.

The misdemeanor conviction means Brown faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. But state law also requires anyone convicted in a domestic violence case be placed on three years' probation, one year of counseling and to perform community service work, Graysen said.

``Mr. Brown was acquitted of any domestic violence. If this was simply a case of breaking a window, there wouldn't be any consideration of having such harsh penalties,'' Graysen said. ``We'll be discussing this with the City Attorney's Office, and if necessary, litigate it. I don't think it's ever come up in a case like this.''

But Deputy City Attorney Grace Lee said she will push for the stiffer penalties.

``Conviction on either of these charges is domestic violence,'' she said. ``Of course, it will be up to the judge, but we believe the full penalties should apply.''

She said she hadn't decided whether she would request jail time for Brown.

Municipal Court Judge Dale Fischer scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23.

Information from City News Service and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Photo

Photo: (Color) Football legend Jim Brown and his wife, Monique, discuss the verdict.

Nick Ut/Associated Press