Chris Brown, who spent time behind bars over the weekend, plead not guilty Monday evening to an assault charge that — luckily for the singer — was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. He was released without bail.
A spokesperson for the D.C. police department confirmed to Us Weekly over the weekend that the "Don't Judge Me" singer, 24, was arrested for a felony assault after he and his bodyguard Christopher Hollosy, 35, attacked an unidentified man early Sunday morning. According to the police report, the embattled star threw punches in the scuffle, which took place outside the W Hotel in Washington D.C. on Sunday, Oct. 27.
The alleged victim, who was hospitalized, attempted to join a picture with the star and two women, when Brown unleashed his anger, it said in the police report. The Grammy-winning R&B artist reportedly made homophobic remarks to the man, including, "I'm not down with that gay s—" and "I feel like boxing." Brown allegedly proceeded to punch him in the face, which left the victim's nose swollen, according to police. When another bystander, identified as Issac Parker, 20, of Beltsville, Md. attempted to stop the altercation, Brown punched him, too.
Brown was in town to host a party at a local nightclub as part of Howard University's homecoming weekend although the event had no affiliation to the school. The owner of Park on 14th, located in Northwest Washington, told the Washington Post on Sunday that Brown fulfilled his duties as host, then left around 2:30 a.m., adding, "Everything was fine when he was here." The tussle took place around 4:30 a.m. according to police.
Brown is still on probation for the violent 2009 beating of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, on the evening before the Grammy Awards. He was sentenced to 1,400 hours of community service and 5 years of probation in California. In 2012, police investigated a full-out bottle-throwing brawl that took place in a New York nightclub between Drake and Brown's respective entourages. No charges were filed. The talent, who also has a tumultuous twitter history, also got into a spat with Frank Ocean outside of a recording studio in L.A. No charges were filed again.
In an interview the Guardian UK, Brown addressed the Rihanna incident saying, "I learned from it, and it was almost like…I wouldn't say it happened for a reason, but it was something to trigger my mind to be more of a mature adult. To handle myself in situations, don't throw tantrums, don't be a baby about it."
