US singer Chris Brown could face jail
R&B singer Chris Brown appears during a court hearing at Los Angeles Superior court in Los Angeles Monday, July 15, 2013. A Los Angeles judge has revoked Chris Brown’s probation after reading details of an alleged hit-and-run accident and his behavior afterward, but the singer was not ordered to jail. AP PHOTO/ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ, POOL
LOS ANGELES— A judge on Monday revoked US singer Chris Brown’s probation for his notorious 2009 assault on then girlfriend Rihanna, but spared him jail for the moment.
The Los Angeles judge scheduled a new court hearing for August 16, at which he could decide on further action, unless defense and prosecution lawyers agree a deal in the meantime.
Brown was sentenced to five years’ probation, a yearlong domestic violence program and 180 days of community service after assaulting Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammys. A photo of her bruised face triggered widespread anger.
On Monday prosecutors filed a request in a Los Angeles court asking for his probation to be revoked after the singer was charged over an alleged hit-and-run car incident in May this year.
LA Superior Court judge James Brandlin agreed to the request after meeting with lawyers. Brown, who was in court, made no comment after the hearing.
The 24-year-old could face up to four years behind bars if the judge decides he has violated his probation and lawyers do not agree a deal to spare him jail.
Brown has denied the traffic accident allegation, claiming the other driver involved was trying to get a “payday” from him.
Media reports said Brown rear-ended a Mercedes with his Range Rover near Toluca Lake, north of LA.
He stopped and swapped information, but celebrity news website TMZ suggested he gave false information.
Brown fired off a series of tweets after the charges over the May 21 incident—one count each of hit-and-run and driving without a valid license—were announced last month.
“It’s not a hit and run if u get out the car, exchange information (who has NO DAMAGE to either cars). This is really ridiculous,” he posted on the micro-blogging website.
In new Twitter posts Monday, he said: “I did everything I was suppose to do during the so called hit n run, I provided the correct info. There were no injuries or damages. C’mon!!”
“My cross is heavy but God gives me the strength to carry it,” he added.
