Rihanna is expected to receive a subpeona to appear in court on June 22 for a preliminary hearing the felony assault case against her ex boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. Brown will also be present at the hearing. It will be up the to District Attorney whether Rihanna will be called to testify. Brown brutally beat Rihanna in an incident in early February. A leaked photo of Rihanna’s injuries showed two contusions on her head, two black eyes, and a bloodied mouth. Brown’s attorney is said to hope to call for a mistrial based on that photo showing police misconduct, but the judge isn’t looking kindly on his efforts to get access to police records to prove his case:
Rihanna is among the witnesses whom prosecutors plan to call during a hearing in Chris Brown’s assault case, an attorney said Thursday.
Donald Etra, Rihanna’s lawyer, told reporters that prosecutors have told him the Barbados-born singer will receive a subpoena to testify at a preliminary hearing June 22. The hearing will focus on whether there is enough evidence to continue the case against Brown.
Etra said Rihanna will comply with the order. It would mark her first appearance in court since felony assault and criminal threats charges were filed against Brown in March.
If she is called to testify, the 21-year-old singer would be subject to cross-examination by Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos.
Other potential witnesses have not been named, but will likely include police investigators.
Brown was arrested in February on suspicion of hitting and choking Rihanna in a rented car hours before the couple were scheduled to appear at the Grammys.
Etra wouldn’t address their relationship now, but said Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was following the case closely.
A judge on Thursday rejected a motion by Geragos to receive police and investigative records related to the case and the apparent leak of a photo of a beaten and bruised Rihanna.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told Geragos the motion was premature and he could file it again after the preliminary hearing.
Brown wasn’t in court Thursday, but he’s required to attend the preliminary hearing. The 20-year-old R&B singer faces possible sentences that range from probation to nearly five years in prison if convicted.
Geragos argued that he should have access to the records to properly cross-examine police witnesses during the preliminary hearing. He also said intense public interest in the case should require the records’ release.
Schnegg said Brown’s fame wasn’t an issue she was going to consider. She also called Geragos’ motion “a fishing expedition.”
She also said the records, which Geragos wants to use to search for police bias or misconduct, don’t have anything to do with Brown’s arrest. She said officers responded to a 911 call and the “Run It!” singer was arrested well before the photo of Rihanna’s battered face was posted by celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.
[From AP via Huffington Post]
The last we heard from Brown he released an obnoxious home video plugging his album and defiantly dismissing people for paying attention to this case. In our coverage of this, I missed another video that Brown made with his buddy in which he denied that he had a black eye and said “All the blog sites are liars.” (Reading this transcript I thought he meant that he didn’t give Rihanna a black eye, but he clearly points to his own eye in the video and the title is “Chris Brown does not have a black eye!”)
All the blog sites are liars. You guys lie. No black eye [points to own eye] I just want to say ‘What up’ because I ain’t been out there in a minute […] We ain’t going nowhere. Everybody that’s haters, they just been haters. All my real fans, I love you all. I ain’t a monster
[via Wikipedia]
I hope the judge takes Brown’s attitude into consideration in sentencing. He made a huge mistake making that video. He was probably thinking that he was showing that he’s fine and still working, but he’s really making it clear that he has no remorse or regret for his awful actions.
Rihanna has clearly moved on. She was seen out on what looked like a date with Drake, a rapper and Canadian actor who appeared on Degrassi: The Next Generation, on May 18. According to the latest Star Magazine, Rihanna is furious about the nude photos of her that leaked earlier this month, and she knows that Brown is behind it. She is said to want revenge. Maybe she’ll get it on the witness stand and maybe Brown will spend some time behind bars for his horrific act.
Rihanna is shown at an event on 5/6/09 (Credit: Fame Pictures) and out in NY on 5/22/09 (Credit: WENN.com)
Rihanna: the healing starts when you stand up for yourself and for all the young girls who are watching you. they need you to be strong.
and to show young men what happens when you use your fists to communicate how you feel towards women. show them the meaning of real love by showing them what’s not love at all.
I really feel for Rihanna,and am glad she is no longer with Chris Brown.
Chris Brown is an abuser,and abusers rarely change,even with yrs of therapy.
There have been numerous reports that Chris Brown is dating Natalie from the pop band Girlicious,and if this is true,this girl better be careful,or she might wind up like OJ Simpsons deceased wife.
And it’s sad to say,but Mark Geragos is a power house of an attorney,best in the biz.
Mark Geragos has represented ppl like
O.J Simpson and Micheal Jackson,and got them off the hook.
Sad to say,but Chris Brown will probably just get a couple yrs of probabtion,and might be ordered to take anger management classes.
On a more positive note,this case has brought more awareness to domestic violence,so young girls know that it is not alright for a man to emotionally or physically abuse them in any way shape or form.
As I have said before…..
Chris Brown=Career over.
@Candi I agree it has brought more awareness however, it’s sad that a 19 yr old and 20 yr old are the victims of the public but hopefully young women will take note and know that this unacceptable.
If nothing else, his video shows a shocking lack of knowledge of basic grammar. It irks the hell out of me when “successful” people display such ignorance. I won’t even get into the woman-beating aspect of his stunted maturity. Blah. Maybe the judge will sentence him to a year of middle school level English courses in addition to anger management, jail, whatever.
Although I’m sure it’s a difficult thing to do, I will be really disappointed in her if she doesn’t cooperate with putting this guy behind bars. Being in the public eye like this, she can really help other abused women by standing up.
Big moneymakers in the music industry are getting stupider and stupider. ugh. What a turnoff.
I hope Rihanna’s lawyer is good. Hopefully Jay-Z will help her out and find her the best lawyer there is… he could afford it!
Poor RiRi. I’m sure it would be scary to come face to face with Chris when he clearly shows no remorse… 🙁
Candi & Mel, I respectfully disagree that this incident has increased awareness of domestic violence. If you have ever been around to witness discussions of this on forums etc, particularly with young people on board, i’d say there was more archaic views abound like how she deserved it, it shut her up, etc etc etc.
I agree, Orion70. And I disagree with Celebitchy that RiRi wants revenge against Chris. I’d love to believe it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Brown knows Rihanna will come back to him once the court case is over. He’s a wannabe hood, trying to gain street credibility and that’s why he talks like that. He wants to show he’s a badass and not a “punk-ass bitch” (loved that quote, Celebitchy).