No walk in the park

Rapper Snoop Dogg pleaded guilty Thursday to carrying a deadly weapon through a security checkpoint at John Wayne Airport last September after numerous delays Thursday in Orange County Superior Court.

Clad in a gray cardigan sweater, blue button-down shirt and dark blue jeans, the rapper answered the judge’s questions with “Yes, sir,” or “No, sir,” saying little else in the courtroom packed with reporters.

Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was sentenced to 160 hours of community service and three years of unsupervised probation.

He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, about $120 in court fees, $200 state restitution fee and to make a $10,000 charitable donation.

Broadus cannot do the community service with children, gangs or football clubs because, prosecutor Andre Manssourian noted, he already does volunteer work in those areas.

“The spirit of this sentence is not to glorify it in the eyes of the people,” Manssourian said. “This is a punishment.”

Broadus, who is known for his volunteer work with inner-city children and patronage of youth football, seemed puzzled as to why he would not be allowed to serve his sentence doing the work of his choice.

“Why can’t I work with kids?” Broadus asked Judge Erick Larsh. “I do anti-gang stuff. That’s what I do.”

Larsh acknowledged Broadus’ past volunteer work, mentioning he had seen a television show about the rapper’s youth football league.

“It is punishment, and there has to be pain in that punishment,” Larsh replied. “It wouldn’t be punishment if you do something you already do. There has to be that pound of flesh in it.”

How Broadus will spend his community service will be determined sometime within the next two weeks by Orange County prosecutors with the cooperation of the rapper’s defense team.

Broadus left quickly after the hearing, not speaking to reporters, but he did wave on his way out to a group of smiling staff members in the Orange County District Attorney’s office on the second floor of the courthouse.

The rapper was on his way to practice for one of the youth football teams he sponsors, his attorney said after the hearing.

Broadus, 35, was charged with carrying an illegal weapon into John Wayne Airport last September. Orange County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Broadus after airport security screeners found a collapsible baton in his laptop case.

One of Broadus’ two attorneys, Donald Etra, did not join his client in the guilty plea Thursday, noting his client had always maintained the baton was a prop to be used in a video shoot. Etra continued to maintain his client was innocent after the hearing.

“He pleaded guilty because he wants to get on with his life,” Etra said. “Snoop’s goal is to make music, not court appearances.”

Snoop Dogg could have the conviction reduced to a misdemeanor after a year, or even expunged from his criminal record after successfully completing his probation, one of the main reasons his client decided to take the deal, Etra said.

The rapper arrived at the courthouse just after 11 a.m. Thursday for the 9 a.m. scheduled preliminary hearing. Cameras clicked and reporters jostled for position on the far side of the courtroom.

After the late start, the judge hearing the case decided to reschedule the hearing until later Thursday afternoon.

A hearing scheduled earlier this week, on Tuesday, was postponed as Broadus was out of town and unable to attend, prosecutors said.

He was not present for his arraignment in January and instead had his lawyer appear to plead not guilty to the felony charges

Coincidentally, prosecutors waited on Broadus’ arrival Thursday, as he was scheduled to fly in that morning.

KELLY STRODL may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at kelly.strodl@latimes.com. BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.