As Santa Ana domestic violence criminal defense attorneys, we paid attention last year when R&B singer Chris Brown was arrested for domestic violence against then-girlfriend Rihanna, also an R&B singer. The case caused a lot of controversy and buzz in the celebrity media at the time, and ultimately ended with Brown pleading guilty to felony assault in June of 2009. We are pleased to see that on Nov. 18, ABC News reported that Brown has been commended for his progress by the judge overseeing his probation. In fact, the Los Angeles Superior Court judge said Brown's work toward completing his sentence, which includes community service and domestic violence classes, is among the best and most consistent she has seen.
Brown got in legal trouble in February of 2009, when he allegedly hit Rihanna after an argument in a parked car. She reportedly suffered unspecified but visible injuries. Brown left the scene, but turned himself in the next evening with his attorney in tow and was booked on suspicion of making a criminal threat. He eventually pleaded not guilty to that charge and felony assault, but later pleaded guilty to the assault charge and was sentenced to five years of probation, 180 days of community service and one year of domestic violence classes. Rihanna also has a five-year restraining order against him, and the singers have broken up. The ABC News article said Brown has completed all but seven of his domestic violence classes and about 581 hours of his community service, which the judge specified must be physical labor. Brown has also lost endorsement deals and been denied an entry visa into the United Kingdom because of the incident.
Our Carlsbad domestic violence criminal defense lawyers believe this case is a good example of how severely domestic violence is penalized. Despite heavy media interest in this incident, no previous domestic violence was reported involving Brown, suggesting that it was an isolated incident. As far as we can tell, it was also a first offense, and it's unclear whether the injuries were serious. Nonetheless, Brown faced multiple penalties, including probation-related restrictions on his freedom, nearly 1,500 hours of community service and restrictions on how physically close he can be to Rihanna. That's not including the secondary non-criminal penalties, like losing his endorsements. Most people charged with domestic violence don't have celebrity endorsement deals, of course, but these charges can also get ordinary people in trouble at workplaces with ethical conduct codes, or hurt the image of their businesses.
Even -- or especially -- if you're not a celebrity, you should call Howard Law, P.C. as soon as you realize you are facing criminal charges for domestic violence. As this case shows, these charges carry a powerful stigma as well as multiple penalties. In addition to the restrictions that Brown faces, people convicted of domestic violence charges can face prison in more serious cases, as well as loss of their right to own a firearm, trouble in divorce or child custody cases and more. In many domestic violence cases, it's one person's word against another's, and the police simply pick the person they think is most believable. Thanks to gender stereotypes, that person is most often a woman, which can lead to unfair charges against men. Our Redondo Beach domestic violence criminal defense attorneys use physical evidence to ensure that our clients get a fair trial that protects them from penalties they do not deserve.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential case evaluations, so you can tell us about your case with no further obligation. To set up a meeting, call us toll-free at 1-800-872-5925 or send us a message online.
