File Photo: TV Guide/Frank Micelotta/Getty Image–Rihanna & Chris Brown
Shortly before a preliminary hearing was set to get underway in a Downtown Los Angeles courtroom this afternoon, singer Chris Brown accepted a plea deal in his domestic violence case. Brown is accused of beating up long time girlfriend/singer/model, Rihanna, in a sports car on a Los Angeles street, following a pre-Grammy Awards party February 8, 2009.
Today Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury. The plea agreement calls for the 20-year-old entertainer to be sentenced to 180 days of community labor, which means it has to be something like trash clean-up or graffiti removal not handing out cookies to needy kids. Brown will be on probation for five years and must complete a year-long domestic violence program as well. The singer will be formally sentenced in August.
Apparently Rihanna’s appearance at the court and readiness to take the stand to detail the vicious attack, prompted Brown to take the deal. Also, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg ordered Brown to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, unless it’s at a public event and then it’s 10 yards.
The question being asked by a lot of folks now is will this couple get back together as so many others involved in domestic violence do? There’s been an incredible amount of publicity and attention focused on this incident, complete with publicized photos of 21-year-old Rihanna’s bloody and bruised face. Still, the statistics show that domestic violence victims frequently forgive their attackers and go back to them again and again. Rihanna has received a ton of advice from fans, experts, and even Oprah to dump Brown and move on. It’s her decision to make. We will have to wait and see what she decides.
