Marissa Mayer's brother gets probation COURTS

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A former girlfriend of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's younger brother said in court Friday that she delayed reporting his alleged domestic violence because he threatened to use his family's "power and influence" to ruin her name if she went to police.

In a statement read in court, Kelli Ann Trent, 31, said she didn't go to authorities for two months because she also feared more abuse from her then-boyfriend, Mason Mayer, who, she said, had warned that he would distribute embarrassing photos of her.

Her comments came as Mayer appeared in San Francisco Superior Court to change his plea and be sentenced following his arrest for allegedly beating Trent in his San Francisco apartment.

Under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, the 34-year-old Mayer pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor false imprisonment and was placed on probation for three years by Judge Bruce Chan.

Mayer was arrested Nov. 28 and charged with three felonies - assault, false imprisonment and domestic violence. If convicted on those charges, he could have received nearly five years in state prison.

Avoiding stress of trial

Stephanie Ong Stillman, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain in part to allow Trent to move forward with her life and avoid the stress of a trial. Later, outside court, Trent said she approved of how the case was handled.

In her victim impact statement read in court, Trent detailed a history of domestic violence during the couple's 10-month relationship leading up to the night of Sept. 24, 2011, when she said Mayer beat her and threatened to kill her.

"He ripped out my earrings, tore my eyelashes off, while spitting in my face and telling me how unlovable I am," she said. "I was on the ground in the fetal position, and when I tried to move, he squeezed both knees tighter into my sides to restrain me and slapped me."

Trent said Mayer slammed her head onto the floor repeatedly and pulled out clumps of her hair, telling her that the only way she was leaving the apartment alive was if he drove her to the Golden Gate Bridge "where you can jump off or I will push you off."

The attack ended when someone phoned Mayer and Trent called out for help. She suffered a black and bloodied eye and a swollen and bruised face, which she documented with photographs.

She delayed reporting the crime until November out of fear he would hurt her again and because he threatened to release nude photographs of her. She said Mayer "went on a campaign" to discredit her and "made sure that people had to choose either the side of his extremely wealthy and powerful family or me."

"He did his best to make me an outcast in the city I call home," she said. "He accepted no responsibility for his actions."

'Enormous courage'

In court, Mayer stared ahead blankly as Trent read her statement.

Through his attorney, he had admitted to "holding her arms and restraining her movement" on the night in question.

He and his attorney had no comment after the sentencing.

Mayer's guilty plea can be used to establish liability in any civil suit Trent may file against him.

Trent's attorney, Gloria Allred of Los Angeles, commended Trent for her "enormous courage" in coming forward.