The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports today that Charles Barkley pleaded guilty in a Scottsdale court to his New Year’s Eve DUI charge. He was popped that night for being over twice the legal limit - and subsequently provided us all with some additional entertainment.

(NBA commentator or villain in Tim Burton’s next animated feature?)

After the plea, a judge fined the TNT commentator $2,000 and sentenced him to 10 days in jail. That’s right, TEN.

That sentence though will be cut to five days if Barkley completes a “court-approved alcohol program.”

Even if he does five days in jail, that sounds a little stiff. I know he was over twice the legal limit, but I’m guessing if Barkley had lawyered up, he could’ve gotten off easier.

Either that or I know nothing about Maricopa County law, home of the pink pajama-doling Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Normally celebs get off light when it comes to our beloved system of justice, but that usually only applies to serious cases. Insane media coverage now means that when a celeb gets popped for a lesser offense, courts delight in making a pseudo-stand against their crimes.

But based on Barkley’s appalling lack of contrition in his first interview after his arrest, the interview that wasn’t on TNT, in this particular case I think the judge actually got it right.