As Dave Itzkoff noted this morning on The Times’ Arts Beat blog, “The R&B singer Chris Brown was arrested Sunday and charged with making criminal threats,” which explained why he failed to show up for a scheduled appearance at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards show.
A Los Angeles Times blog, L.A. Now reported on Sunday night that the person he is accused of threatening is his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna, who also backed out of an appearance at the awards show:
R&B singer Chris Brown, one of the biggest-selling performers in pop music, was booked tonight in Los Angeles on charges stemming from an alleged assault on his girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna, according to police and other sources familiar with the investigation.
An official police statement did not name Rihanna, but said the woman in the incident “suffered visible injuries.”
Details of what took place between the two were sketchy, but authorities and sources said that about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Brown and a woman got into an argument in a rented Lamborghini on North June Street in Hancock Park. Brown stopped the car, the two got out, and the argument escalated. A witness called 911, but police said Brown was gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. The woman identified Brown as her assailant. [...]
The sources said the woman was Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
E Online’s Marcus Errico has also reported that “sources tell E! News that the alleged victim was Rihanna, 20.” According Mr. Errico, at least one member of the Los Angeles Police Department was impressed by Mr. Brown during his arrest:
Brown, 19, turned himself in at the LAPD’s Wilshire station around 6:30 p.m. and was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of four years. The case will now be sent to the district attorney’s office and further charges could be filed. He was released from jail after posting $50,000 bail.
“He was very professional and didn’t appear to have injuries,” said Sgt. Bridget Pickett, adding, “He’s a good looking young man.”
Rolling Stone, which also reports that unnamed sources say that Rihanna was the victim, report that one of Mr. Brown’s friends was quick to defend him as the news broke:
The news sent shockwaves through the Staples Center as Grammy attendees slowly received word of Brown’s arrest. When asked if this incident sounds like Chris Brown to him, rapper David Banner told RS, “No, not at all. One situation doesn’t define a man and I really want America to stop doing that to people. As humans, none of us is perfect.”
