The news shocked the entertainment world, yet celebrities were asked for their reactions regarding the Chris Brown assault case. Crazy, indeed, but with the stars of today not knowing the full breadth of the story, they chose to play it safe, with the man responsible for the victim’s career (Jay-Z) not saying anything about the situation at all.
UPDATE: Chris Brown Supposedly Call Usher! (MTO) -
MediaTakeOut.com showed you a video of Usher criticizing Chris Brown for assaulting Rihanna. And then a few days later, Usher apologized for the criticism.
Well according to the NY Daily News, Chris Brown PUNKED Usher into apologizing. Here’s what they’re saying:
“Usher was basically forced to issue a retraction,” an insider tells us. “After all of his comments came out, Usher got a call from Chris, who said ‘I’m going to see you bitches’ – meaning ‘I will eventually see you out, and this is going to be a problem.’”
But Brown’s beef wasn’t just with Usher. “Chris (r.) got tough with everyone present in that video,” our source says. “He wanted silence from all parties involved.”
To see what Usher said – see video below at about 3:20:
UPDATE: Chris Brown Blogs, Binges & Ballyhoo’s After Court (EURWeb) -
Within hours of his court appearance in Los Angeles Thursday regarding charges that he beat his girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown was hanging out until nearly 4 a.m. at a hotel bar.
TMZ cameras caught Brown leaving the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills around 3:45 a.m. Brown spent much of the evening at the hotel bar, a source told the Web site.
Earlier in the day, Brown and his attorney, Mark Geragos, appeared in court to answer two felony assault charges stemming from his Feb. 8 altercation with Rihanna on a Beverly Hills street. His arraignment was pushed back to April 6.
To read more about this story, please click here! Continue to share your thoughts in the comments section!
UPDATE: Chris Brown Claims ‘Roid Rage Fueled His Rihanna Beatdown (MediaTakeOut) -
MediaTakeOut.com just received some EXPLOSIVE new information. We spoke EXCLUSIVELY to a person close to Chris Brown’s camp – and they gave us some shocking news. The insider believed that Chris’ attack on Rihanna was a case of ‘roid rage.
The insider, who asked that MediaTakeOut.com keep their name confidential, claims that Chris Brown has been using steroids for some time – and that it likely contributed to the attack. The source explained, “Chris started using steroids for his voice, and then he started using it more and more … I think he used it too much.”
The source continued, “There were definitely benefits to using [the steroids], like he got more muscular. But it also affected his temper … Everyone around him noticed it.”
And MediaTakeOut.com directly asked the insider whether they believed that the steroids were behind Chris’ attack on R&B singer Rihanna. The source replied, “Of course, Chris’ temper got crazy when he started taking [the steroids].”
Is the use of steroids to improve a singer’s voice common, you ask? Well MediaTakeOut.com spoke to a popular recording engineer who claims that many singer’s routinely use steroids to help their voice. The insider, who asked for anonymity, explained, “If a singer is on tour and their voice isn’t holding up, or if they have laryngitis – you give them a steroid shot, or they can use a spray. It will allow them to perform temporarily.” The insider continued, “Just about every artist I know has used it.”
It’s not clear what effect the ‘roid rage defense will play in the Chris Brown criminal trial. As MediaTakeOut.com reported to you earlier in the week, Chris’ attorney’s are working feverishly behind the scenes to work out a plea deal which would give no jail time to the R&B singer. And, as we reported earlier in the week – our sources say that they are EXTREMELY close to a plea deal.
But Chris’ defense team might have another ace in the hole. Yesterday MediaTakeOut.com told you that Chris’ defense team postponed pleading “not guilty” to the offenses charged against him. That leaves open the possibility of Chris pleading “not guilty by reason of insanity” – using ‘roid rage as his mental disease or defect. While it would be an unorthodox legal move, it could prove effective.
UPDATE: Will Rihanna Testify Against Chris Brown (People) -
He allegedly bruised and battered her, yet she took him back. And now, could she get him off the hook?
Legal experts say whether Rihanna will testify against Chris Brown could be a key factor in his felony case.
“The DAs are facing an uphill battle now if Rihanna isn’t cooperating,” says Steve Sitkoff, a Los Angeles defense lawyer and former prosecutor. “At this point, her cooperation can make or break the case. But the DAs may not need her if Brown is willing to strike a plea deal.“
Brown was formally charged Thursday with two felonies – assault and making criminal threats. If convicted, he faces anywhere from probation to a maximum four years and eight months in state prison, prosecutors say.
Asked if Rihanna is cooperating with the DAs, her lawyer Donald Etra told PEOPLE: “She’ll do everything that the law requires her to do.“
Experts say prosecutors will almost certainly subpoena Rihanna as a witness, but while she may be forced to appear she cannot be threatened with jail time – as is possible in a non-domestic violence case – if she refuses to take the stand.
At most, she could be punished with fines or other sanctions, but a judge may be reluctant to do so.
“If she refuses to testify, that could potentially jeopardize the DA’s case,” says Loyola Law School professor Stan Goldman. “Her statements to police about Brown having beaten her can only be used against him if she agrees to testify.“
Experts agree it’s just too soon to tell.
“Rihanna and Brown obviously have a volatile relationship,” says L.A. defense attorney and former prosecutor Jeffery Rubenstein. “Who knows if they’ll be together tomorrow. She may want him to take responsibility for his actions and take the stand. This case has only just begun.”
UPDATE: Chris Brown Charged With Two Felonies (LA Times) -
Nearly a month after pop star Rihanna was found battered and bleeding on a Hancock Park street, prosecutors have charged singer Chris Brown with felony assault and making criminal threats.
The charges carry a sentence ranging from probation to almost five years in prison, according to prosecutors. Brown, who is free on $50,000 bail, is due to be arraigned on the charge this afternoon in Los Angeles Superior Court. Brown was arrested Feb. 8, the day of the Grammy Awards, after LAPD officers responded to a 911 call reporting an assault on a quiet, tree-lined street near Beverly Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they found an injured Rihanna and Brown’s rented Lamborghini, but no sign of the R&B singer.
According to a search warrant obtained by Fox 11 News, the assault began when Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, read Brown a text message while they were driving home from a pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills. The content of the message apparently enraged Brown, 19, who, according to the warrant, tried to force Rihanna out of the car. Only her seat belt kept her inside the vehicle, the warrant alleged. Brown punched her several times while he was driving, splattering the interior of the luxury vehicle with blood, according to the warrant.
During the alleged attack, Rihanna phoned her assistant and told her to call police, according to the warrant. Brown continued to assault her, biting her ear and fingers and, at one point, threatening to kill her, the warrant alleged.
Brown surrendered to police that evening and was booked for suspicion of criminal threats. He subsequently issued a statement apologizing for the incident. Rihanna, who has never been identified publicly by police, was treated at a medical facility after the incident, a police source said. The gossip website TMZ.com published a photo of the 21-year-old’s bruised and scratched face. The Police Department launched an ongoing investigation to determine if any of its personnel sold or otherwise leaked the picture.
UPDATE: Chris Brown To Head To Court To Hear Charges (Rolling Stone) -
Chris Brown is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom today as the L.A. Police Department has handed over all evidence regarding the R&B singer’s alleged assault of Rihanna on February 8th to the district attorneys, TMZ reports. Brown was initially charged with making criminal threats, but will learn whether he’ll stand trial on charges that carry a heavier penalty. Worst-case scenario for Brown, he’ll face felony domestic battery charges and be arraigned today.
However, it’s possible that this case will never get that far. According to E!, Brown’s high-power lawyer Mark Geragos met with the D.A. on Monday to discuss a possible plea deal. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, Brown would plead guilty to a misdemeanor and avoid jail time — the best-case scenario for his career, as he’d avoid the drama of a public trial.
The D.A. had initially sought evidence Brown committed a felony, and at first it seemed like Rihanna would cooperate with the investigation. But given the reports that Brown and Rihanna reconciled and reunited last weekend in Florida, it’s unlikely she would testify against Brown, leaving the district attorneys without their lone witness to the crime. However, since reconciliation is a common occurrence in domestic violence cases and the victim often refuses to testify, the D.A. could use Rihanna’s crime scene statements, as well as that “shocking” photograph of her facial injuries and other evidence gathered the night of the altercation in place of her taking the stand.
So how did word of the couple’s reconciliation hit the streets, anyway? Page 6 is reporting Brown and his camp alerted the media themselves. “Chris tipped off the photographers. He needs it to be out there that he and Rihanna are back together,” a source said. “His only chance for a career was if she got back together with him, and he wanted people to see them there.” A rep for Brown said, “To my knowledge this is not true.”
UPDATE: Chris Brown Punched Rihanna (People) -
A detective’s notes from the scene of the alleged Rihanna assault reportedly reveal disturbing details about what happened between the singer and her boyfriend Chris Brown in the early hours of Feb. 8.
According to FOX 11 in Los Angeles, which claims to have obtained the notes from a search warrant in the case, Rihanna, 21, read a lengthy text message from a woman on Brown’s phone, which led to an argument. Brown – who has a standing court date Thursday – allegedly tried to force his girlfriend out of the Lamborghini, and hit her head against the passenger window.
Brown, 19, then punched the singer while still driving, according to the detective’s notes, and blood filled Rihanna’s mouth. He allegedly told her, “I’m going to beat the —- out of you when we get home.” Rihanna called her assistant and left a message saying, “I am on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there.” The police notes say that prompted Brown to reply: “You just did the stupidest thing ever. I’m going to kill you.”
The report also says that Brown bit Rihanna and put her in a headlock, and that she almost lost consciousness.
Almost three weeks after the incident, the couple reunited in Miami Beach last week.
Contacted by People, LAPD spokeswoman April Harding said, “We cannot confirm” the detective notes.
UPDATE: How Could Chris Brown & Rihanna Get Back Together? (People) -
While Rihanna and Chris Brown‘s reconciliation after an alleged abuse incident has shocked family and friends, domestic violence experts say it’s all too common for a woman to return – often repeatedly.
In fact, experts say, it’s unrealistic to expect women not to go back to their abusers, be they husbands or boyfriends, as the victims grapple with feelings of guilt, fear, isolation – even love.
“It never surprises me,” says Violent Partners author Linda Mills, who believes therapists and people close to couples in abusive relationships must accept this seemingly fact. “If you start with ‘You shouldn’t go back,’ you very often lose the person [you are trying to help]. They won’t talk to you.”
Rihanna, 21, and Brown, 19, reunited last week in Miami about three weeks after he allegedly battered the singer early the morning of Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.
No Charges Yet Filed
Police continue to investigate the case and no formal charges have yet been filed against Brown, who was booked on a felony criminal threat charge. Brown has no known criminal background, and though people close to the pair say they’ve had a tumultuous relationship at times, there had never been any indication of violence until now.
After the arrest, Brown and Rihanna spent time apart. Brown released a statement at the time, saying, “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired” and noted that he was “seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones.”
According to experts, there was nothing surprising in the reunion between Brown and Rihanna, who after spending time in Miami both returned to Los Angeles on the same plane Monday morning.
Reconciliation Period
According to psychologist and author Lenore Walker, the average battered woman endures three to five violent incidents, from having her arm grabbed to an all-out beating, before she gives up on the relationship.
The reconciliation usually happens during what experts call the honeymoon phase in the cycle of violence, that cooling-down period after the attack when the abusive partner often expresses remorse and begs for forgiveness.
“The man is saying he’s sorry, he didn’t mean it, that it’ll never happen again,” says Walker. “It’s the loving behavior that reinforces a woman to stay, because they believe the violent act isn’t a true reflection of their man.”
If anything, the victim will often blame herself – and the attacker will agree with her. “The abuser also tries very hard to convince the victim that the attack was their fault,” says Dr. Elizabeth Miller, a Sacramento, Calif., pediatrician and domestic violence expert. “It’s common to say, ‘Honey, if you hadn’t upset me, this would’ve never happened.’ “
In many cases, financial pressures draw a woman back, particularly if she has children and doesn’t work outside the home. But even among those with money, there’s still “psychological warfare,” says Jeffrey Gardere, a clinical psychologist. “[An abuser says:] I’m going to isolate you. I’m going to put you completely under my thumb, under my power so if you leave me, then you are going to be in big, big trouble because you won’t be able to take care of the kids or yourself.”
Isolation and Love
But it’s love, in all its complexities, that can often be the most powerful force for reconciliation for a battered woman. “They have insight into somebody in a way that none of us do,” says Mills, who runs a program in Arizona that brings together couples with family members and a volunteer from the community to talk over what actually happened in a domestic-violence event. The process usually goes on for months.
“The ideal might be that we can separate people who are in a violent relationship, but the problem is that that’s not the reality,” Mills says. “I address the reality, which is that people go back, and they’re looking for avenues for the possibility of working through this issue like any other rupture in a relationship, working through this issue to the point where the violence could stop.”
UPDATE: The Lovebirds Fly To L.A. (EURWeb)
Rihanna and Chris Brown left Miami Beach, Fla. on Sunday and are now back in Los Angeles, where Brown is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in connection with her beating.
After spending the past few days hunkered down at the home of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Star Island, the controversially reunited pair was spotted boarding a private jet together at Miami International Airport late Sunday night.
TMZ.com has grainy, long-lens photos of the couple leaving the airport and exiting the same plane together in Los Angeles early Monday morning.
Brown’s scheduled arraignment on Thursday may be postponed if detectives don’t turn over the case soon enough. As of Monday morning, prosecutors tell E! News they have yet to see the evidence.
Since that incident occurred on Feb. 8, Rihanna spent solo time in Los Angeles, Mexico and her native Barbados, while Brown traveled to Las Vegas and his Virginia hometown before jetting to Miami. Word broke late Friday that the couple had reunited at Diddy’s mansion to work on their relationship.
Over the weekend, the “Disturbia” singer remained out of sight, while Brown, for the first time since his Feb. 8 arrest, was photographed jet skiing in the waters around Diddy’s compound. He had also been logging late-night sessions at Miami’s Hit Factory studios, working on his new album, in the days leading up to their reunion.
Reps for both Rihanna and Chris Brown have so far refused to comment on the seeming reconciliation, though Rihanna’s father made clear over the weekend that he supported his daughter, whatever direction her personal life may take.
“I love my daughter with whatever road she takes,” Ronald Fenty told Us Weekly. “I’m behind her win or lose. I will be supportive. If that’s the road she wants to choose, I’m behind her. I hope to see her soon. I talked to her after her birthday, and she told me she’s OK.”
Rihanna’s other family members, however, have not been so supportive. “Everyone wants them to take a break, to cool off,” a relative of Rihanna tells People.com. “No one wants them back together.”
“I’m concerned,” continues the relative. “I don’t want her to make a mistake, and I don’t want her to ever go through this again.”
Meanwhile, Brown was the victim of mistaken identity over the weekend when he was falsely reported to have been partying with Young Jeezy, Reggie Bush and Khloe Kardashian at the Gansevoort South Hotel in South Beach.
Kardashian wrote on her blog, “So I woke up this morning to a ridiculous amount of missed calls and news EVERYWHERE that I had been spotted out and about in Miami with Chris Brown. The funny part about this alleged ‘news’ is that I’ve never even met Chris Brown!”
The reason for the confusion, “Reggie’s best friend looks just like Chris Brown,” says a source close to Kardashian. “They were all at the Gansevoort, but it wasn’t Chris.”
UPDATE: Blood Found In Chris Brown’s Car (Radar Online)
While Chris Brown has reunited with Rihanna in Miami, RadarOnline.com has learned that blood was found by police inside his car.
Police impounded Brown’s car after the Feb. 8 violent incident between Brown, 19, and Rihanna, 21.
Now RadarOnline.com has learned that blood was found between the front seats and the car’s interior shows many signs of a violent struggle.
More details to come, on RadarOnline.com.
UPDATE: Rihanna Gives Chris Brown A Second Chance (People) -
Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, People has learned exclusively.
The pair have reunited almost three weeks after Brown, 19, allegedly battered the “Umbrella” singer on Feb. 8, a source tells PEOPLE.
“They’re together again. They care for each other,” says the source. The on-again couple are currently spending time together at one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s homes, on Miami Beach’s Star Island.
Adds the source: “While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves.”
In its latest issue, People reports that Brown called Rihanna on her 21st birthday one week ago. “He called to wish her happy birthday,” a source told the magazine. “They’ve reached out to each other. It’s been mutual.”
Brown was booked by LAPD for making criminal threats but the case has not yet been presented to the District Attorney, who will ultimately determine which charges, if any, will be prosecuted.
UPDATE: Whitney Gives Rihanna Some Sound Advice (EURWeb) -
Whitney Houston is reportedly going public with her support of Rihanna, urging her not to reconcile with Chris Brown following an alleged fight between them that left her with cuts and bruises.
Houston, who ended her turbulent marriage to Bobby Brown in 2007, is advising the 21-year-old to end the troubled romance for good.
“Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Whenever you let your heart rule your head, you are bound to run into trouble,” Houston said in a statement to Hollyscoop.com.
Houston and Bobby Brown split in 2006 and endured a messy divorce and custody battle over their teenage daughter Bobbi Kristina. Brown was subsequently forced to deny rumors of domestic abuse within their relationship, insisting that although the former couple was prone to heated arguments, their fights never turned physical.
UPDATE: Gamblers Place Bets On Brown’s Freedom (EURWeb) -
Within days of TMZ’s posting of a leaked photo that showed Rihanna’s facial cuts and bruises, online sports gaming sites were reportedly flooded with bets that Chris Brown will receive some jail time.
According to online betting site Bookmaker.com, betters are reportedly getting $1.12 back for every $1 bet if Brown is sent to jail in connection with the beating of Rihanna, while those who wagered $1 on Brown not getting any jail time will get back $2.35. Or -850 for the singer serving time, against +130 that that he will escape incarceration.
The site says that odds were a lot different before the unauthorized picture was leaked.
So far, Brown has only been charged with making criminal threats. Since the incident, Brown released a public apology saying he was “sorry and saddened,” but did not discuss any specific details.
UPDATE: Chris Brown Asks For Forgiveness (YBF) -
Word has it Chris Brown called Rihanna on her 21st birthday, sent her a diamond necklace for a gift, and pleaded for her forgiveness, Wouldn’t be the first time a man begged for forgiveness when he knew what he did was wrong. So it’s definitely believable. But who really knows.
We’re also hearing that Sony is erasing Chris from their urban marketing blitz for the Bone Deep movie he just finished with T.I. Thanks to the Chrihannagate fallout, Chris may not even be a part of his own movie. Ironically, they’re going to use T.I. as the main urban marketeer–event though he’s set to go to jail next month for a year. Hmmm….
UPDATE: Rihanna Issues Statement, But Doesn’t Address Chris Brown -
As police probe whether one of their own leaked a picture of a bruised and beaten woman that appears to be Rihanna, the image is sparking a discussion of the impact it could have on the issue of domestic violence.
The celebrity Web site TMZ, which posted the photo Thursday night, did not explain its origin. The site wrote only that it was taken after an altercation between platinum-selling singer and her boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown.
Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton acknowledged Friday afternoon that the photo could prove embarrassing to the woman pictured, a view shared by some advocates for abused women. But in the welts and marks on the face of the woman in the photo, some also saw a teaching moment.
“If it could happen to Rihanna, it could happen to anyone,” said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. There are an estimated 4.8 million domestic violence attacks on women and another 2.9 million attacks on men each year, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
“Maybe it is a good idea if it’s her, if young girls see this,” said Susan Murphy-Milano, a Chicago author and advocate for battered women. She said she hopes it makes them think, “Is the next picture going to be of her in a morgue?”
Both women expected the image, which even Bratton wouldn’t go so far as to confirm was Rihanna, could spark a new awareness about domestic violence.
“The reality that domestic violence can happen to anyone, even someone with fame and celebrity, ought to bring home the point that this is a problem for our entire society,” Gandy said. “We can’t avoid or ignore it.”
Bratton told reporters that along with launching an internal investigation into whether the photo is police evidence, he is also looking into how TMZ obtained the picture. He said the department may pursue a felony conspiracy case against TMZ and whomever might have helped them get the image.
Bratton said he suspected someone within the department leaked the photo, but did not elaborate or go so far as to confirm that it came from police evidence files.
“We are not treating this lightly,” Bratton said. “It’s an embarrassment to this department if in fact evidence was leaked.”
“It’s going to be a very painful experience for any personnel from this department and possibly those who they may have engaged in a conspiracy with to violate the laws of California.”
TMZ did not say how it obtained the image and a publicist for the site did not return a phone or e-mail message seeking comment Friday.
Brown, 19, was arrested Feb. 8 on suspicion of making felony criminal threats, but police have not publicly identified his alleged victim. The woman was Rihanna, according to a person familiar with the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity.
A spokesman for Brown said the singer had no further comment beyond a statement released Sunday in which he said he was “sorry and saddened” about the incident. His attorney has not returned calls seeking comment.
Rihanna broke her silence on Friday, her 21st birthday, by releasing a statement through Rubenstein Associates.
“At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown,” the statement read. “She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time.”
The singer canceled a planned birthday bash in New York and postponed concerts overseas in the days following the incident.
(Think that this bad journalism? Was the photo right in being leaked? Check THIS out!)
UPDATE: Rihanna Assault Photo Leaks (TMZ) -
Whoever did this to her needs to be under the jail.
UPDATE: Rihanna’s Family Says, “Don’t Go Back To Chris!” (People) -
Members of Rihanna‘s family in her native Barbados thought boyfriend Chris Brown “flew so far under everyone’s radar that we just didn’t think he was that [abusive] type,” a relative tells PEOPLE for its new cover story, on sale Friday.
Brown was arrested Feb. 8 for allegedly assaulting Rihanna in Los Angeles. He has issued a statement of apology, saying he would seek therapy, and he may face charges from the district attorney.
The turn of events comes as a shock to the family. “He was always looking after her needs,” says the relative, “making sure she was happy.”
Rihanna, who turns 21 on Friday, and Brown, 19, were a “perfect match,” an MTV veejay tells People. Now their future together is unknown.
But as far as her father, Ronald Fenty, is concerned, when it comes to Brown, his daughter should “move on.” A relative agrees: “I don’t want her to go back to him. I don’t think anyone does.”
UPDATE: Keyshia Cole Speak On Rihanna (Maximo TV) -
Keyshia knows a thing or two about bad guys and relationships. She shares her thoughts about the Chris Brown/Rihanna situation with Maximo TV.
UPDATE: Jay-Z Speaks On Rihanna! (People) -
Jay-Z struck a serious note Saturday when asked for his words of support for Rihanna.
“This is a real situation,” he said in Phoenix at the Sprite Green presents the Third Annual Two Kings dinner with Jay-Z and Lebron James, as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend.
“You have to have compassion for others. Just imagine it being your sister or mom and then think about how we should talk about that,” the hip-hop mogul, 39, continued.
“I just think we should all support her. She’s going through a tough time. You have to realize she’s a young girl, as well. She’s very young.”
Rihanna, 20, was allegedly attacked in Los Angeles on Feb. 8 by boyfriend Chris Brown, 19. He was arrested and may face charges from the district attorney.
Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, tells PEOPLE that his daughter, whom he saw Thursday in Barbados, is bruised, but “she will be all right.”
Asked if he’d seen Rihanna, Jay-Z replied, “I don’t want to go into it.”
UPDATE: Chris Brown May Get Off?! (YBF) -
Our friends in the L.A. division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (who actually takes on most of the cases of the Los Angeles County District Attorney) tell us Chris Brown very likely won’t be popped with any jail time after the assault fall out with Rihanna. Why, you ask? We’re told the LAPD & D.A.’s office tend to fall back on domestic violence cases. Apparently if couples are attempting to work problems out themselves, victims historically become more forgiving, therefore leading to them dropping charges. Of course, other types of consequences are pretty likely. Very interesting…
In other news, LAPD sent the DA’s office all the evidence they had against Chris; however, the DA’s office sent the case back to the LAPD. We’re told the reasoning is not only to “work on it more”, but at this time there is currently not enough evidence to charge Chris with. Apparently the D.A.’s office was attempting to nab him with domestic violence, battery, and a whole slew of other charges.
And LAPD now confirms that Chris Brown received a text message from a woman while he was driving with Rihanna and that’s what started the confrontation that left Rihanna battered and bruised. The person who texted Chris is NOT a rapper, even though a rapper is spoken about in the police report.
Chris’ Lamborghini was dusted for prints when it was brought to the impound. This is the car the assault incident allegedly happened in.
Meanwhile, Rihanna reportedly pulled out of her show in Jakarta, scheduled for tonight, citing “an assault case involving Rihanna’s boyfriend.” This is just the latest in the several events she and Chris have been pulling out of.
UPDATE: Jay-Z To Give Chris Brown ’99 Problems’ -
Chris Brown’s got 99 problems – and Jay-Z’s a big one.
The hip-hop powerhouse, who rapped “99 Problems,” was enraged when he heard that Brown allegedly beat up Rihanna, the R&B star whom Jay-Z discovered and mentored.
“He hit the roof,” a source close to him told Us Weekly. “Chris is a walking dead man. He messed with the wrong crew.”
Brown, 19, allegedly left gal pal Rihanna with contusions to her face, a cut lip, bloody nose and bite marks on her arm and fingers following an argument the night before both were to perform at the Grammys.
Residents called 911 after hearing her screams, and police said Rihanna’s shrieks could be heard in the background.
“It mostly recorded the sound of a screaming woman,” LAPD Detective Deshon Andrews said.
The couple had hit a rough patch in their year long romance, according to MTV, and blog rumors swirling around the pair – including offhand re marks about infidelity and fights – didn’t help.
The LA blowup followed an evening of escalating tension be tween the two, which came to a head as they drove in a Lamborghini from a party at music mogul Clive Davis’ house early Sunday and she tossed the car keys out the window, E! News reported.
“He pimp-slapped her and punched her in the face,” a friend of Rihanna told Us.
Brown then allegedly choked Rihanna and said, “I’m going to kill you,” E! News reported. When she slipped into unconsciousness, Brown allegedly fled.
Rihanna was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Brown later turned himself in and was charged with making a criminal threat. He was released on $50,000 bail. Both canceled their appearances at the awards show and later events.
WAKS-FM, a Cleveland-area radio station, has stopped playing Brown’s music until the allegations are resolved; so, too, have stations in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.
Police handed the case over to the LA County prosecutor’s office, which sent it back yesterday for further investigation.
Jay-Z has long been protective of Rihanna, the 20-year-old Barbadian beauty he helped make a star.
In 2007, Rihanna – whose song “Umbrella” was burning up the charts – acknowledged that Jay-Z had to give the OK before any guy would approach her.
“I just found out from a mutual friend that guys will talk to Jay first before they try to approach me,” Rihanna told People magazine. “He’s very protective. Jay has my best interests in mind.
“If it’s a good guy, I know Jay won’t shut him down. But if he’s not, Jay will be, like, ‘No, no, no.’“
UPDATE: Chris Brown Charged For Assault With A Deadly Weapon -
TMZ has confirmed Rihanna is the named alleged victim in the Chris Brown case and the allegation is that she was assaulted with a deadly weapon.
Law enforcement sources tell us the crime report calls the incident assault with a deadly weapon — we do not yet know the nature of the weapon.
The crime report gives the victim’s name as Robyn Fenty — that’s Rihanna’s real name.
UPDATE: T.I. & Rihanna’s Grandmother Share Their Reactions On The Chris Brown/Rihanna Fiasco -
Rihanna’s Grandmother has told the Barbados newspaper (Rihanna’s hometown) that her granddaughter is well and does not have a broken nose like previously reported:
“I don’t want people to worry. Rihanna is fine and she is doing well.”
Rihanna sent a message to her family back home via her close friend letting them know she is ok. As for the exact charges against Chris Brown in reference to Rihanna, Police Sergeant Bridget Pickett says:
“The exact charge was criminal threats and it is going to be investigated as a criminal threats investigation. There may be domestic violence charges added later, but that will be up to the district attorney’s office.”
Interesting.
What T.I. had to say about the situation when you read the rest…
Meanwhile, T.I. told Carson Daly last night that he’s spoken to Chris since the incident and Chris is “a little concerned”:
“Yeah, I spoke to him today. He cool, you know. I guess he a little concerned about the situation, but he’s still the same Chris. Hey man, you people gotta remember, we celebrities and we entertainers but we still human. All of us…Don’t expect us not to make mistakes ‘cause we will.”
SOURCE: YBF
UPDATE: Rihanna Discharged From Hospital, Cancels Birthday Plans -
20-year-old singer Rihanna, who sustained injures during a Pre-Grammy Awards fight with her 19-year-old boyfriend Chris Brown, is now out of the hospital, according to online reports.
LAPD officers, who interviewed the Barbadian beauty in the hospital, say she sustained violent trauma to her face and body, including bite marks on her arms and fingers, contusions, swelling, bruising and a bloody nose.
Rihanna may have inflicted similar damage on Brown as they fought inside and outside his rented Lamborghini near Hancock Park in LA early Sunday morning.
Witnesses heard her screaming and called 911. Brown fled the scene on foot and later turned himself in accompanied by famed attorney Mark Geragos who once repped Michael Jackson, among other notables.
Rihanna’s reps say her upcoming 21st birthday bash on Feb. 20 in NY is canceled. And a Malaysian concert is also scrapped as well as appearances at the upcoming NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix.
The backlash against Brown has already begun. He was unceremoniously dropped from the Wrigley’s gum campaign Monday. And Brown’s reps say an upcoming gig in Phoenix is canceled.
The reaction from the industry was swift as well. According to a tipster, Rihanna’s brother would love to put his hands on Brown, and other men in the industry would like to “touch” him as well.
Rihanna has made many friends in the industry who reached out to her with offers of protection in the 24 hours since the incident.
Brown’s next court date is on March 5th. He is charged with making terroristic threats against Rihanna, who may not be willing to testify against him in open court.
There are rumors that Rihanna and Chris fought like cats and dogs behind closed doors and their handlers knew that eventually the violence would spill out into the open.
It seems the two were obsessed with each other, according to friends. It was the type of obsession that usually leads to violence. One source who is close to both camps told Sandrarose.com how Brown pursued Rihanna and how badly he wanted her before the two ever met.
“Rihanna paid that boy no attention for months,” said my source. “Then she finally gave him a chance and realized he was really cool [to be with].”
Brown’s mom, who has friends in Atlanta, is already defending her son and telling what she knows about prior incidents involving the couple. If you recall, it was Brown’s mom who spilled the beans to friends about Brown’s sordid relationship with his much older manager — a relationship that the manager vehemently denied.
Still, questions remain whether Rihanna was the aggressor in the current incident and if she struck out at Brown first, forcing him to defend himself.
UPDATE: Kanye West Speaks On Rihanna/Chris Brown Incident (Fly Style Life) -
Kanye West had some very decisive words to Ryan Seacrest this morning regarding the very thing that’s on everyone’s tongue: Chris & Rihanna.
“I was completely devastated by the concept of what I heard,” the rapper said Tuesday on Ryan Seacrest’s KIIS-FM radio show.
“I was completely devastated during the performance,” West said, referring to his Grammy performances. ”Rihanna is so important to our culture … to pop music,” said West. “I feel like she is the most important artist in music and has the most potential. Her taste level and her age … she has the potential to be the greatest artist of all time. In that sense, I feel like that’s my baby sis, I would do any and everything to help her in any situation.”
But when asked if he felt that Rihanna’s celebrity had any influence over his feelings, West was very quick to clarify:
“All I want to say is, it’s so devastating. As a person, I don’t care how famous she is or even if she works at McDonald’s. [Abuse] should never happen. It should never come to that place.”
Check out these celebrity reactions below:
Be sure to check out GIANT Magazine’s exclusive interview with Chris Brown as he discusses abuse, jail and his father by clicking here!
Click here to see the gallery of Chris Brown and Rihanna in love!
