The Oscar-nominated African-American filmmaker, who made a name for himself in 1991 directing Ice Cube and Cuba Gooding Jr. in the powerful coming-of-age-in-the-inner-city drama Boyz N the Hood, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Los Angeles to charges that he beat the mother of his 6-year-old daughter.
And he got a punishment that could only be handed out in the world's movie-making capitol.
In addition to three years' summary probation, a $300 fine and a year of counseling, Singleton was ordered by Judge Susan Isacoff to make a 15- to 30-minute movie about domestic violence.
"We've done these kinds of things in the past when they were appropriate," says Los Angeles City Attorney spokesman Mike Qualls. For example, after pleading no contest to punching a fellow nightclub patron, comic actor Martin Lawrence was ordered to throw a charity fundraiser concert, Qualls says.
And "12 years or so ago," he adds, the same court sentenced a Japanese director to make a Japanese-language film about domestic violence.
As for the 31-year-old Singleton, his charges stem from a January 2 altercation between himself and his 28-year-old unnamed ex. She arrived at the Rosewood director's home to pick up their child, began to argue and then Singleton allegedly punched and choked the woman.
Singleton finally ended his attack, according to Deputy City Attorney Robert Cha, when his young daughter pleaded with him to stop hitting her mother.
Singleton's next project is reportedly a remake of the early-'70s proto-blaxploitation flick Shaft. Actor Samuel L. Jackson has been linked to the title role originated by Richard Roundtree.