Advice about this traffic violation (read below)?

So I had to drive my friend to a pawn shop. I get to a four way intersection. I brake and I notice the traffic lights in front of me were covered and out. I treated it like a four way stop sign and turned left. A split second later a cop pulls up behind me.





She notified me that I turned left on a red light. At first I was confused but after she left and I drove back, I noticed that there was a pair of lights before the intersection that were working that I suppose were meant to replace the non-working ones, but I had not seen it (because I braked too late and was right underneath the light). The rest of the intersection had at least one working light so I can see the cop's point.





Point being, I got confused at an intersection and acted on a gut feeling. I got a $90 fine and probably 2 points on my license. Would showing up to court, pleading guilty with explanation help? or should I just pay the fine and move on?Advice about this traffic violation (read below)?
Pay the fine, when you fight the DA they get mad. They also have the info from the officer and your stupidity isn't a good excuse. They will look at you like your an idiot if you try to fight it. Svae yourself the time and just pay the fine. Then take the defensive driving course and they will remove up to 4 points on your license.