Chris Brown is a Grammy-winning R&B star who has sold millions of albums, but to many, he’s known more for his rap sheet than his music. The singer’s latest brush with the law came on October 27, as Brown was arrested for assault following an altercation outside a Washington D.C. hotel. According to reports, charges were filed after an individual accused Brown and his bodyguard of punching him and breaking his nose. Some reports allege that the man attempted to unlawfully enter Brown’s tour bus to take pictures.
The following day, Brown appeared with counsel for his arraignment, and in a positive development for the singer, charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and he was released. The maximum penalty on the reduced charge is 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Brown is set to return to court November 25.
Brown’s latest arrest comes at a critical time for the singer, as he is still on probation for the brutal 2009 beating of his then-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna. Furthermore, Brown, who is due to release a new album in December, has still not completed the 1,000 hours of community service hours necessary in order to complete his probation.
The 24-year-old’s image has continued to be sullied since the 2009 Rihanna assault thanks to a number of widely publicized incidents. Among others, the singer broke a window after a 2011 Good Morning America interview, was accused of taking the phone of a fan who was attempting to take his picture, and, in two separate incidents, was involved in altercations with rapper Drake and singer Frank Ocean.
An assault conviction in this case could have severe implications for Brown, likely affecting the terms of his 2009 probation. If the judge in the 2009 case believes Brown did, in fact, violate probation, he could face significant jail time. Whatever the end result, it looks like Brown is taking his latest incident seriously — on October 29, a representative for the singer issued a statement announcing that he has voluntarily checked into a rehab facility.