Chris Brown pleads not guilty to alleged attack on photographer during a nightclub brawl
On Monday (July 9), Chris Brown pleaded not guilty to the battery charges against him after he allegedly attacked a photographer during an appearance at a Florida nightclub last year. Chris was not present in the courtroom but entered the plea via his attorney, as reported by The Blast. The documents suggest that Chris' attorney also asked the court to set a date for a “disposition/pre-trial conference.” The rapper who had an outstanding warrant against him was arrested on July 5 moments after he finished his Florida concert. Chris had just wrapped up a show at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach. Several police officers were waiting outside the building and when the rapper finished his performance, he was taken into custody.
The outstanding warrant stemmed from Chris punching a photographer at Tampa’s Club Air back in 2017. The photographer suffered injuries to his face and the incident was also captured by the security at the club. However, he fled the scene before police arrived. The rapper was wanted on a felony battery warrant from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office, according to WPTV.
The station said that he was released after he paid a $2,000 bond. This is not the first time that Chris has found himself in legal trouble. In March, Chris landed himself in trouble yet again as the rapper was spotted with his hands clutching a woman’s throat in Miami.
In some of the pictures that were taken, it seemed like the woman was distressed with his hands around her throat. However, there were a couple of pictures that suggested they were having fun as the woman was seen smiling while Chris grabbed her neck. According to TMZ, both Chris and the woman said that it was a playful act and nothing serious had happened.
Chris and some of his friends are reportedly staying at a rented home during the Ultra Electronic Music Festival which is taking place in the city. The singer's lawyer Mark Geragos came forward clearing the air about the incident. "She's a friend. It's obviously playful as she confirmed. Whoever invaded their privacy will be held accountable," they told the website.
One of the reasons for people to think that the singer might be physically assaulting this woman is due to the fact that Chris has a background of physically assaulting people in the past. Back in 2009, Chris pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna after the two got into a fight following a pre-Grammys party. After pleading guilty, Chris had to serve five years of probation. He formally completed his probation in 2015. Over the years Chris has been involved in several other court cases which include a fight with Drake over Rihanna, another altercation with Frank Ocean, and others. However, no serious charges have been applied to the rapper.