Artest arraigned

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest pleaded not guilty in an Auburn courtroom Thursday to four misdemeanor charges stemming from a domestic dispute with his wife at his Loomis estate earlier this month. The four misdemeanor charges were filed late Tuesday. He was initially charged with two felonies. Artest arrived in a black Chevrolet Yukon about 10 minutes before his 8:30 a.m. arraignment at the Placer County Superior Court in Auburn. Dressed in a black suit, he said nothing to the several reporters and television cameras as he entered the court.Artest is charged with battery and corporal injury to a spouse, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. Judge Frances Kearney served Artest with a restraining order at the request of Assistant District Attorney Dan Quick that requires him to stay 100 yards away from his wife, Kimsha Artest, her residence and place of employment.Thomas Leupp, an attorney for Kimsha Artest, told the judge Artest's wife was not requesting a restraining order.He must also stay away from the couple's three children, although he is allowed contact them by phone, e-mail and letters.Artest, who sat in the audience section of the court, only spoke when directly addressed by Kearney. He responded "no" when asked if he owned firearms and "yes" when asked if he understood the conditions of the restraining order.Artest was arrested March 5 at his estate in Loomis and was booked into the Placer County Jail in Auburn.He was released from custody hours later after posting a $50,000 bond.A Placer County sheriff's report said Artest grabbed a woman and pushed her down, then slapped her face during an argument. The report, which did not identify the victim because it was a domestic violence incident, said Artest took a phone from the woman the first time she tried to call 911.When she reached 911, the woman at first complained that Artest was taking the family Hummer from the home, according to a recording of the call released by the Sheriff's Department. The woman then told the dispatcher that her finger was cut and her leg scratched, and that she broke the windshield of the vehicle.Five days after his arrest, Artest said he'd stumbled as a father and husband and apologized to his wife and family, as well as the community, the Kings and his teammates. He sat out two games, but was not suspended and continued to receive his salary.After the court procedure, Artest walked silently through the group of television cameras to his car with his attorney, William Portanova.Portanova and Artest were asked if they were disappointed by the restraining order, which requires Artest to stay 100 yards away from members of his family."We all decided that was the right thing to do for the family," Portanova said. "This is exactly what we expected to happen at this point."Portanova and attorneys for Artest's wife, Kimsha, mutually agreed to the restraining order.Asked if he was happy to be allowed peaceful contact with his children, Artest and Portanova both nodded yes. Roughly a dozen protestors also showed up outside the courtroom carrying signs claiming Artest is getting preferential treatment when it comes to recent claims he mistreated his animals.Last month, county animal control officers seized his great dane, Socks, because he wasn't being fed. The dog has since been released to the custody of one of Artest's attorneys.Holding signs that read, "Today's beverage, Socks on the Rocks" and "Placer County Catering Services, where VIP customers are stars," they shouted, "Placer County dropped the ball, there's no justice for Socks at all." "We'd like to say to Mr. Artest that he shouldn't have animals," said Heather Ireland, a member of Placer County Friends of Animal Shelters. "If he can't care for his animals, he shouldn't have them. And we also want to send a message to the county that they need to prosecute animal abuse cases - there have been no charges filed against Artest at all."Quick told the judge the county is still considering animal abuse charges.Artest's next court date is scheduled for April 5. The Associated Press contributed to this report.