The Slatest

Former San Diego Mayor Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge

Former Mayor Bob Filner of San Diego speaks at a press conference announcing his intention to seek professional help for sexual harassent issues on July 26, 2013.

Photo by Bill Wechter/Getty Images

Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who was forced from office over sexual harassment allegations earlier this year, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to false imprisonment and battery charges.

Filner’s guilty plea to one felony count of false imprisonment and two misdemeanor counts of battery involving three women means that the former mayor will not serve any jail time, but will spend three months in home confinement, as well as forfeit his mayoral pension, according to the Los Angeles Times. Filner also will never be able to run for public office again as a condition of the plea.

If the former mayor had gone to trial and been convicted, Filner could have served time behind bars. The felony charge carried with it a maximum sentence of three years and each misdemeanor count a maximum of 12 months in jail, the L.A. Times reports.

The plea deal is in sharp contrast to the defiant tone that Filner took during his resignation speech, the New York Times points out, as he said he had been the victim of a “lynch mob” on his way out. Filner’s lawyer, Jerry Coughlan, told the Times, “that the once-defiant Mr. Filner, who faced sexual harassment allegations from 17 women, had ‘learned to get beyond denial’ during his treatment for sexual disorders at a facility in Los Angeles in September.” Here’s more on Filner from the Times:

Mr. Filner, who looked thinner and tanner since his last public appearance – his lawyer said this was a result of regular jogs in the Southern California sun – did not offer an apology or explanation for his actions during the court session. Mr. Coughlan said that Mr. Filner felt remorse for his actions.