Judge to review Chris Brown's probation compliance in Rihanna beating case

A Los Angeles judge today will review whether pop singer Chris Brown is complying with his sentence in connection with his attack on his former girlfriend, pop star Rihanna.

Brown was sentenced to five years of probation and 180 days of community service, which he performed in Richmond, Va. Since his sentence, he has issued a video apology for the incident.

Brown is expected in court when the judge does the status update.

In June, Brown reached a plea deal with L.A. prosecutors that was expected to limit his sentence to probation and no jail time. Under the agreement, Brown, 20, will serve five years' probation and take a yearlong domestic violence prevention class.

L.A. County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away from Rihanna, 21, for the next five years. 

Brown was arrested in February for beating and threatening Rihanna during an argument in a rented Lamborghini. The incident occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party.

-- Shelby Grad

Chris Brown begins community service amid TV crews and extra security in Virginia

Chris Brown began performing his community service this week in connection with his sentence for assaulting Rihanna -- and it attracted some media and fan attention where he was performing his work in Virginia.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg sentenced Brown to five years' probation and ordered him to do 180 days of community labor -- to be directly supervised by the police chief in Richmond, Va.

His first days of work drew reporters, requiring officials to provide extra protection for the pop star.

2 LAPD officers placed on leave amid probe into leak of Rihanna photo

Two Los Angeles police officers have been placed on paid leave as part of an ongoing investigation into how a photo showing the battered face of Rihanna appeared on a celebrity website after the singer was assaulted by her former boyfriend Chris Brown, four law enforcement sources familiar with the case told The Times.

The night before the Grammy Awards in February, Rihanna argued with Brown, who bit, punched and choked the singer in a rented Lamborghini in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, leaving her bruised and bloodied, police said.

Two weeks later, a photo of Rihanna that showed those injuries appeared on the entertainment gossip website TMZ.com. The sources confirmed that the investigation is focused on at least two officers.

One of the officers, identified by sources as Rebecca M. Reyes, is a nine-year veteran of the department and was last assigned to the Wilshire Division. Her attorney told The Times that a search warrant in connection with the leak investigation had been served on her Los Angeles home.

Chris Brown sentenced to 5 years' probation in attack on Rihanna [Corrected]

Pop singer Chris Brown was sentenced today to five years of probation and 180 days community labor -- to be personally supervised by the chief of police in Richmond, Va. -- in connection with his attack on former girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown reached a plea deal with L.A. prosecutors in June that was expected to limit his sentence to probation and no jail time. Under the agreement, Brown, 20, will serve five years' probation and take a yearlong domestic violence prevention class.

L.A. County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away from Rihanna, 21, for the next five years. [Corrected at 3:15 p.m.: A previous version of this post said he was to stay 50 yards away from Rihanna].

Brown was arrested in February for beating and threatening Rihanna, also a pop singing star, during an argument in a rented Lamborghini. The incident occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party.

The news that Rihanna was injured and that Brown was wanted by police surfaced as scores of celebrity reporters awaited the couple's arrival on the red carpet.

Had he been convicted of felony assault and criminal threats, Brown would have faced a maximum of five years in prison.

-- Victoria Kim at L.A. County Superior Court

Photo: Chris Brown in court in March. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Chris Brown will be sentenced today for Rihanna assault

Pop singer Chris Brown will be sentenced today in connection with his attack on former girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown reached a plea deal with L.A. prosecutors in June that is expected to limit his sentence to probation -- and no jail time. Under the agreement, Brown, 20, will serve five years' probation and take a yearlong domestic violence prevention class. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, 21, for the next five years.

Brown was arrested in February for allegedly beating and threatening Rihanna, also a pop singing star, during an argument in a rented Lamborghini. The incident occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party.

The news that Rihanna was injured and that Brown was wanted by police surfaced  as scores of celebrity reporters awaited the couple's arrival on the red carpet.

Had he been convicted of felony assault and criminal threats, Brown would have faced a maximum of five years in prison.

-- Shelby Grad

Chris Brown facing sentencing today in Rihanna assault case

Pop singer Chris Brown will be sentenced today in connection with his attack on former girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown reached a plea deal with L.A. prosecutors in June that is expected to limit his sentence to probation -- and no jail time. Under the agreement, Brown, 20, will serve five years' probation and take a yearlong domestic violence prevention class. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, 21, for the next five years.

Schnegg will hand down her sentence this afternoon.

Brown was arrested in February for allegedly beating and threatening Rihanna during an argument in a rented Lamborghini.

The alleged altercation occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party. The news that Rihanna was injured and that Brown was wanted by police surfaced the next day as scores of celebrity reporters awaited the couple's arrival on the red carpet.

If he had been convicted of felony assault and criminal threats, Brown would have faced a maximum of five years in prison.

Brown recently released a video in which he apologizes for his actions: "I had a chance to live those moments again. But, unfortunately, I can't. I cannot go into what happened and, most importantly, I'm not going to sit here and make any excuses. I take great pride in me being able to exercise self-control and what I did was inexcusable. I am very sad and very ashamed at what I've done.''

--Shelby Grad

Did Chris Brown's sentence fit the crime? Let the debate begin.

  

There has been some hand-wringing over a judge's decision to sentence singer Chris Brown to six months of "community labor" -- but no time behind bars -- after he pleaded guilty to felony assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

But was the sentence too lenient? Several legal experts said the sentence appears to be in line with what other first-time offenders who plead guilty to the same crime would receive.

Dmitry Gorin, a former deputy district attorney who handled domestic violence cases, said the plea bargain “was not unreasonable.” 

“We have a first time offender here and he is getting 180 days' hard labor and five years' probation. That is not a light sentence for someone who's not been convicted before,” Gorin, adding he has negotiated similar pleas.

He said one must keep in mind that if Brown were to serve time in the L.A. County Jail,  he would serve only a fraction of his sentence because of jail overcrowding.

“I have had clients want to do the jail time when they know the jails are overcrowded and then won’t serve anything like the sentence,” he said. 

Chris Brown escapes time behind bars in Rihanna assault [Updated]

Chris Brown will do six months of "community labor" but no time behind bars for assaulting the pop star Rihanna under the terms of a plea agreement reached this afternoon.

The R&B singer reached a deal with prosecutors less than two hours before the scheduled start of a hearing, in which his former girlfriend was prepared to testify about the violent altercation that left her bruised, bloodied and screaming for help last February on a Hancock Park side street.

Under the agreement, Brown, 20, will serve five years' probation and take a year-long domestic violence prevention class. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, 21, for the next five years.

After a lawyer for Rihanna said the singer thought the order was too severe given that they often attend the same industry functions, the judge said that at such public events Brown was required to stay only 10 yards away.

The judge said Brown can complete his sentence in his native Virginia, where he owns a home.

"I think it's commendable you took responsibility for your conduct," Schnegg told the singer.

Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, entered the courtroom through a back entrance as Brown, his mother and an entourage of eight filed out.

Settlement reached in Chris Brown's alleged beating of Rihanna [Updated]

A plea deal has been reached between Los Angeles prosecutors and pop star Chris Brown, who is accused of assaulting singer Rihanna before the Grammy Awards.

Brown will plead guilty to a felony and receive six months in jail or community labor -- such as graffiti removal or trash pickup -- and five years' formal probation. He will also undergo domestic violence counseling. Judge Patricia Schnegg said he will be allowed to complete counseling, community labor and probation in his native Virginia, but is to be treated there like any other offender.

[Updated at 2:15 p.m.: Schnegg says she plans to issue "a stay-away" order barring Chris Brown from having contact with Rihanna. But an attorney for Rihanna said she doesn't want the order. Sources told The Times that Brown's camp initially rejected the plea agreement and had been mulling the settlement for several days.]

[Updated at 2:26 p.m.: "I think it is comendable you took responsibility for your conduct," Schnegg told Brown.

After Chris Brown left with his entourage, Rihanna was brought into the courtroom and informed of the stay-away order by the judge. “Thank you,” she told the judge and then left through a back door of the courtroom.]

Brown, 20, was arrested in February for allegedly beating and threatening Rihanna during an argument in a rented Lamborghini.

The alleged altercation occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party. The news that Rihanna was injured and that Brown was wanted by police surfaced the next day as scores of celebrity reporters awaited the couple's arrival on the red carpet.

If convicted of felony assault and criminal threats, Brown would have faced a maximum of five years in prison.

-- Harriet Ryan and Richard Winton

Photo by Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

More:

Live courthouse reports from the Chris Brown-Rihanna preliminary hearing

No plea deal, yet, in Chris Brown-Rihanna case [Updated]

  

Chris Brown's attorney met briefly with prosecutors and the judge this morning, but a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said the R&B singer's preliminary hearing will proceed as scheduled at 1:45 p.m.

Rumors of a plea deal have swirled as the proceeding, which could see alleged victim Rihanna testify, approached.

Brown faces nearly five years in prison if convicted of felony assault and criminal threats in the February incident in Hancock Park.

[Updated at 12:33 p.m.: More than a hundred reporters have converged on the courthouse in downtown Los Angeles in advance of the hearing.

Fifty-two media outlets had asked to attend the proceeding, far more than were on hand for Paris Hilton's return to jail, Britney Spears' divorce proceedings, the DUI cases of Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie or the murder trials of Robert Blake or Phil Spector. "I've never seen this kind of interest, and I've been here seven years," said court spokesman Allan Parachini.

Brown, 20, and his alleged victim, the 21-year-old pop princess Rihanna, who's real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, are superstars to the young demographic most interested in celebrity news. Their romance was tabloid fodder before his February arrest for allegedly beating and threatening the singer during an argument in a rented Lamborghini. The alleged altercation occurred as the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party, and the news that Rihanna was injured and Brown was wanted by police surfaced the next day as scores of celebrity reporters awaited the couple's arrival on the red carpet.]

[Updated at 12:54 p.m.: The media has grown to about 200 people, many being photographers from tabloids and Hollywood photo agencies. Court clerks looked down from a second-story patio to get a look at the scene.]

-- Richard Winton

Photo: Richard Winton / Los Angeles Times

Related:

Chris Brown and Rihanna: a lesson for teens

LAPD probes Rihanna beating photo

Harvey Levin defends TMZ's use of leaked Rihanna pix

Brown beat, bit and threatened to kill Rihanna, prosecutors allege

Media swarm expected as Chris Brown goes to court

Since the explosion of gossip blogs and the resurgence of celebrity magazines, L.A.'s courthouses have grown used to accommodating throngs of paparazzi, videographers, camera crews and reporters who trail the famous to their dates with infamy.

But the crowd expected at this afternoon's preliminary hearing for R&B singer Chris Brown will be on a different order. Fifty-two media outlets have asked to attend the proceeding, far more than were on hand for Paris Hilton's re-jailing, Britney Spears' divorce, the DUI cases of Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie or the murder trials of Robert Blake or Phil Spector.

"I've never seen this kind of interest, and I've been here seven years," said court spokesman Allan Parachini. 

Read the rest of the story here.

-- Harriet Ryan

Photo: Chris Brown appears in court.  Credit: AP Photo/ Bob Chamberlin, Pool

Courtroom details of alleged Rihanna attack by Chris Brown won't be televised

The details of the violent confrontation that left Rihanna bruised and bloodied and Chris Brown facing felony assault charges will not be broadcast to a television audience.

A judge has denied media requests for cameras in the courtroom for Monday’s preliminary hearing, according to court officials. Sketch artists will be permitted to draw the proceeding.

Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is among the witnesses subpoenaed for the hearing, at which prosecutors must demonstrate sufficient evidence to go forward to trial.

Brown, 20, faces nearly five years in prison if convicted of two charges stemming from the February attack in Hancock Park. Rihanna, 21, told authorities that the R&B singer punched, bit and threatened her after a quarrel over text messages from another woman.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

-- Harriet Ryan

Photo: L.A. Times

California Supreme Court won't block preliminary hearing in Chris Brown-Rihanna case

The California Supreme Court won’t stand in the way of a preliminary hearing for R&B singer Chris Brown, accused of assaulting and threatening pop star Rihanna.

At its weekly conference this morning, the high court decided not to intervene in the case, which could see Rihanna take the stand against her former beau.

Brown’s lawyer had asked the justices to postpone the June 22 hearing to consider whether a Superior Court judge was correct in denying a defense request for access to internal police files.

The attorney, Mark Geragos, said the records could relate to the leak of a photo of Rihanna’s bloodied face to the gossip site TMZ.com. Judge Patricia Schnegg said that the defense was only entitled to request such files for the trial and not the preliminary hearing.

Brown, 19, faces nearly five years in prison if convicted of two felonies in the alleged attack on the 21-year-old singer, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

-- Harriet Ryan

Chris Brown seeks court postponement in Rihanna assault case

With less than a week before a scheduled public airing of allegations that Chris Brown brutally assaulted Rihanna, the R&B singer is seeking a postponement of the proceeding from the state Supreme Court.

A lawyer for Brown filed papers Friday asking that the high court delay the Monday preliminary hearing in order to consider whether the singer should have access to police personnel records in advance of the proceeding.

Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos, contends the files could be important in his cross-examination of police witnesses concerning the leak of a photo of Rihanna to the gossip site TMZ.com.

The judge set to preside over the hearing has refused to order police to hand over the files, saying the law allows the defense to request that information 30 days before the trial. An appellate court declined to intervene in the case last week.

The state Supreme Court justices have not yet taken action on Brown’s appeal. According to a court spokeswoman, the court could take the case, decline to do so or let the preliminary hearing date come and go without comment.

Rihanna will take witness stand in Chris Brown assault case, her attorney says

When Chris Brown’s preliminary hearing gets underway this month, pop star Rihanna will be in the courthouse and prepared to take the witness stand against her former boyfriend, her lawyer said today.

Representatives from the L.A. district attorney's office placed a subpoena in Rihanna's hand Tuesday during a prearranged meeting at her attorney’s office, lawyer Donald Etra said. The order requires the 21-year-old performer to show up to the downtown courthouse June 22, but it is not a guarantee that she will testify.

The rules for a preliminary hearing, a proceeding to ensure authorities have the right defendant and enough evidence to proceed to trial, are different than in trials. Investigating officers can summarize the statements of complaining witnesses and others in place of those witnesses actually testifying. Rihanna’s attorney, however, said he expected to see her in the witness chair. “We are presuming [the subpoena] means she will testify,” he said.

Appeals court rejects Chris Brown's effort to delay Rihanna assault case

A preliminary hearing that could see pop star Rihanna taking the stand against former boyfriend Chris Brown will go forward later this month after a state appeals court refused Monday to intervene in the case.

A lawyer for Brown, who faces felony charges of assault and making criminal threats, had asked the Court of Appeals’ 2nd District to postpone the June 22 proceeding to consider whether a Superior Court judge ruled correctly when she blocked the defense from requesting police personnel records.

The records sought relate to the leak of a photo of Rihanna’s bruised face to the gossip site TMZ.com. The court denied the emergency request without comment. Judge Patricia Schnegg, who will preside at the preliminary hearing, said in May that Brown’s lawyer was premature in requesting the police files and that he was not entitled to them until closer to trial.

The judge also said she did not think the records were relevant to Brown’s February arrest for allegedly beating, biting, choking and threatening Rihanna. The R&B singer faces a maximum of five years in prison if convicted.

-- Harriet Ryan

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Judge to Chris Brown: Leaked Rihanna photo irrelevant to assault charge

The leak of a photo showing Rihanna’s bloodied face is not relevant to the assault arrest of her former boyfriend, Chris Brown, a judge said today.

Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg described the leak of what appears to be a police evidence photo to the gossip site TMZ.com as “not a good thing” and possibly a crime, but she brushed aside suggestions by Brown’s attorney that it impacted evidence to be presented against the R&B singer at a June 22 preliminary hearing.

“I think not,” Schnegg said.

Brown did not attend the hearing. The 19-year-old has pleaded not guilty to assault and criminal threats charges stemming from a Feb. 8 incident in which Rihanna, 21, claimed he beat, punched and bit her as she rode in his rented Lamborghini.

Subsequently, the photo of the pop star, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, appeared online and the L.A. police department opened an investigation to determine whether an employee sold or released the picture. The probe is ongoing.

Chris Brown's defense may focus on leaked photo of battered Rihanna

 Since Chris Brown's arrest nearly three months ago, his normally loquacious attorney has not said a word in public about how he plans to answer charges that the singer beat and choked his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna. But comments by the attorney in court Wednesday suggested part of the strategy might be attacking police for the leak of a photo showing Rihanna's bloodied, bruised face.

Defense lawyer Mark Geragos told a judge he planned to request information about possible police misconduct or bias and mentioned by name an appellate court ruling that provides defendants access to files in internal police investigations related to their cases.

Geragos, whose unwavering "no comment" in the Brown matter is in marked contrast to his media-friendly handling of other high-profile cases, did not elaborate and declined to speak outside the courthouse. But his remarks seemed a clear reference to the probe sparked by TMZ.com's posting of a photo of Rihanna consistent with evidence pictures taken by police. Los Angeles Police Department investigators have been interviewing their own officers and scouring computers for two months in a thus far fruitless effort to determine whether someone inside the agency sold or gave the photo to the gossip website.

Read the rest of the story here.

-- Joel Rubin and Harriet Ryan

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

Rihanna to get jewelry back in Chris Brown assault case

Authorities have agreed to return the $1.4 million in jewelry Rihanna was wearing the night she was allegedly assaulted by Chris Brown.

Her attorney told a judge in L.A. Superior Court this morning that the Los Angeles Police Department will hand over three rings and a set of earrings after officers photograph them.

Neither Brown nor Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, attended the hearing before Judge Patricia Schnegg. The judge said a preliminary hearing will likely take place in June.

Brown stands accused of felony assault and criminal threats in the February incident.

-- Harriet Ryan

Related:

Chris Brown and Rihanna: a lesson for teens

Chris Brown, Rihanna and the image problem

LAPD probes Rihanna beating photo

Harvey Levin defends TMZ's use of leaked Rihanna pix

Brown beat, bit and threatened to kill Rihanna, prosecutors allege

Chris Brown pleads not guilty to assaulting Rihanna

R&B singer Chris Brown today pleaded not guilty to a felony charge that he bit, punched, choked and threatened his pop star girlfriend,Rihanna.

A judge set a hearing for April 29, when a preliminary hearing could be scheduled.

Nearly 100 media representatives jammed the downtown courthouse entrance as Brown came through about 3:30. Deputies shielded Brown and escorted him to a freight elevator.

All available L.A. County Sheriff's deputies were summoned to the area. Although Rihanna's attorney was in court, the pop star did not attend the hearing.

Last month, a judge ordered Brown not to "annoy, harass, molest, threaten or use force or violence against anyone."

Brown faces a maximum sentence of nearly five years in prison if convicted of charges in connection with the Feb. 8 incident, which, according to police, left Rihanna’s blood splattered all over the Lamborghini he was driving.

--Harriet Ryan and Richard Winton

Media swarm awaits Chris Brown in court

Nearly 100 reporters, camera operators and paparazzi lined up behind yellow police tape today in anticipation of Chris Brown's arrival at the downtown courthouse, where the music star is being arraigned for allegedly assaulting singer Rihanna.

The media representatives jammed the courthouse entrance as Brown came through about 3:30. Deputies shielded Brown and escorted him to a freight elevator.

All available L.A. County Sheriff's deputies were summoned to the area. Although Rihanna's attorney was in court, the pop star did not attend the hearing.

--Richard Winton

Chris Brown withdraws name from Kids' Choice Awards ballot

R&B singer Chris Brown, who is charged with felony assault and criminal threats on girlfriend Rihanna, withdrew his name today from consideration for favorite song and favorite male singer at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, citing the controversy over his continued presence on the ballot.

“Chris very much appreciates the support of his fans and the honor they have paid him in the way of nominations for Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song,” said a statement from his public relations firm, Sitrick and Co. “Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding the incident last month has shifted the focus from the music to whether he should be allowed to be among those nominated.

“While Chris would like to speak to his fans directly about this and other issues, pending legal proceedings preclude his doing so at this time. Once the matter before him has been resolved, he intends to do so.”

Rihanna can record Chris Brown, court documents show

Rihanna made it clear through her lawyer at Thursday’s hearing that she didn’t want a “stay away” order barring Chris Brown from communicating with her.

But a document released this morning [.pdf] shows that the Superior Court judge gave her a special tool to protect herself during whatever conversations they do have.

An order signed by Commissioner Kristi Lousteau allows Rihanna to record Brown if he engages in any “prohibited communications” -- which included harassing or threatening her or trying to dissuade her from testifying.

That’s important because California law prohibits recording confidential conversations without the consent of all parties involved. The order also directs Brown to sell or turn over to authorities any firearms he owns.

Rihanna doesn't want restraining order against Chris Brown

Chris Brown asked that his arraignment be postponed until April, so the most significant thing about his two-minute court hearing this afternoon may have been the appearance of an attorney for his alleged victim, Rihanna.

The lawyer, Donald Etra, stood shoulder to shoulder with Brown and his high-profile attorney, Mark Geragos, and in the one statement to the judge that didn’t involve spelling his name, he made it clear that Rihanna does not want a restraining order that would bar the “Forever” singer from contacting her. “Miss Fenty does not request that,” Etra told Superior Court Commissioner Kristi Lousteau. Rihanna’s full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

The judge instead issued what Etra later described as the lowest-level order, a blanket ban against Brown, 19, annoying, harassing, molesting or using force or violence against anyone.

Brown beat, bit and threatened to kill Rihanna, prosecutors allege [UPDATED]

Court documents released today allege that singer Chris Brown savagely beat and bit pop star Rihanna last month and threatened to kill her.

Brown was charged with two felonies that carry the possibility of prison time. In a complaint filed this morning, the L.A. County district attorney accused Brown, 19, of assault “by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury” and criminal threats. The charges carry a sentence ranging from probation to almost five years in prison, according to prosecutors.

The document identified the victim in the Feb. 8 incident as “Robyn F.” Rihanna’s full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. In the complaint, prosecutors alleged that Brown threatened “to commit a crime which would result in death” to Rihanna and that what Brown threatened “was so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate and specific as to convey ... a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution.”

She feared for her safety or the safety of her family during the alleged attack, according to the complaint.