Legal woes aren’t enough to stop Chris Brown’s game, TMZ reports. Their cameras spotted the entertainer playing basketball at Tyrese Gibson’s L.A. apartment building. He was supposed to leave town today, but decided to stick around to be with his girlfriend Rihanna.
According to TMZ’s source, "they are together and very much in love."
Be that as it may, Chris is still in hot water with the law. His attorneys might be willing to enter a plea, reports TMZ .
After reviewing the mounting evidence in his felony battery case involving Rihanna, Chris’ lawyers think that they might be able to get the L.A. District Attorney’s office to agree to a misdemeanor plea. Getting the charges dropped down from a felony to a misdemeanor would mean no jail time for the "Wall to Wall" singer.
According to TMZ, Chris’ lawyers have sought the counsel of other legal professionals to analyze the case. Sources say that because Rihanna initiated the fight, hitting and slapping Chris as he drove, and continued to assault him as he punched her, Rihanna’s violence is enough to take the case out of the felony category. Those same sources also report that much of the details of the fight, particularly Rihanna’s strikes, are reflected in the police report that she gave to the cops the night of the incident.
However, because Chris is deemed to be physically stronger, the D.A. might say that the fight wasn’t fair, which wouldn’t bode well for Chris’ chances of a charge reduction. Rihanna’s police photos, which showed many bruises and cuts, are enough to prove Chris’ physical advantages, said TMZ. Chris sustained no serious injuries after the fight.
If those things aren’t enough to do the singer in, Rihanna told the police that Chris had struck her before and that the abuse had been getting worse . Plus, Chris reportedly sent a text message to Rihanna’s assistant apologizing for the beating and declaring that he was getting help. According to TMZ, that text message would be admissible in court as a legal admission of guilt and would severely damage Chris’ chances for a misdemeanor plea.
If Chris Brown does go to trial, jurors will certainly get an appearance from his superstar victim Rihanna, reports MTV. Her lawyer, Donald Etra told MTV News that "at this point, she is willing to do anything that the law requires her to do. … If subpoenaed, she will testify."
Should Chris be convicted of felony battery, he could serve up to four years and eight months in prison. He is currently working on a new album, according to E! Online.
On another note, Chris was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, twice. He’s up for Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song (for "Kiss Kiss," against Rihanna’s "Don’t Stop the Music") and recently took to his MySpace page to appeal to his younger fans to vote for him.
Last Thursday, March 5, his MySpace blog updated with a post titled "VOTE FOR CHRIS BROWN FOR KIDS CHOICE AWARD." It started "Hey fans" then listed the links to both awards and ended with "Thank you for your support." An apology to his kid fans was noticeably absent from his page.
Oprah has also announced that she will air a special domestic violence tribute episode in honor of the couple’s troubles.
– Whitney Teal
Here’s more:
Chris Brown charged with two felonies
Rihanna: Chris’ attacks became ‘more violent;’ fight details leaked
Was Chris Brown defending himself
