DON CORNELIUS - CORNELIUS PLEADS NOT GUILTY

American TV presenter/producer DON CORNELIUS appeared in court in Los Angeles on Thursday (04Dec08) to plead not guilty to a string of charges relating to a fight with his wife VIKTORIA in October (08).
The 72-year-old former Soul Train host/creator is facing three counts of spousal battery, one of dissuading a witness from filing a police report and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
Cornelius is due back in court on 9 January (08), when he'll face a five-year prison sentence if convicted.
In the meantime, he is banned from going anywhere near Viktoria, who has filed two restraining orders against him.