Chris Brown pleads not guilty to assault
Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to assault charges following a fight with another man outside a Washington, D.C. hotel on Sunday morning (27Oct13).
The R&B star was arrested and booked for felony assault but local prosecutors opted to reduce the count to a misdemeanour just before Brown appeared in court on Monday (28Oct13).
The Kiss Kiss hitmaker was released without bail, but he was
ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the victim he
allegedly punched.
The unidentified other party was taken to hospital for a medical
evaluation after the fracas and told TMZ.com the singer broke his
nose. Police reports suggest the alleged victim was treated for a
fractured nasal bone.
Brown maintains he never threw a punch and was on his tour bus when
the fight broke out between the man and his bodyguard, who was also
arrested. The alleged victim claims Brown threw the first punch but
it was the singer's minder who hit him in the face.
Some witnesses are suggesting the victim was attempting to board
the star's tour bus when the fight broke out.
The drama could still lead to big problems for Brown, who is on
probation for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna. If a
court rules his latest arrest violates his probation, the singer
faces a four-year prison spell.
Officials at the Los Angeles County Probation Department have
launched an investigation into the arrest.