The assault case against Chris Brown entered a new phase as the R&B singer/actor was sentenced to five years’ probation and six months’ community labor Tuesday (August 25) for beating his former girlfriend, Rihanna.
Rihanna was not present for the hearing as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered Brown to stay 100 yards away from the R&B/pop diva for five years unless they are attending music industry events.
In this case, the pair can come within 10 yards of each other. Brown will serve his probation sentence in his home state of Virginia.
The 20-year-old crooner’s community labor will be at the Commonwealth Catholic Charities in Richmond, VA, where Schnegg ensured that Brown will take a yearlong domestic violence course and perform physical labor rather than community service.
As part of Brown’s probation, he must stay in touch with a probation officer in Los Angeles and is subject to search and seizure at any time over the next five years.
In addition, the crooner cannot own any dangerous weapons, including guns or knives and must provide DNA samples as requested by authorities.
Brown’s sentence also calls for him to get prior approval before leaving the country. If the singer violates any part of his sentence, he could be sent to state prison.
News of Brown’s sentencing is the latest development following the singer’s violent encounter with Rihanna prior to this year’s Grammy Awards.
According to a probation report prepared for the hearing, the couple was involved in heated exchanges in the past. Three months prior to the February altercation, an incident occurred when Brown and Rihanna were traveling in Europe.
The report noted how Brown shoved Rihanna into a wall after the songbird slapped him during an argument.
Another incident documented in the report centered on Brown allegedly breaking the front and passenger side windows on a Range Rover driven by the couple while visiting Rihanna’s native Barbados.
Neither incidents were not reported, according to the probation report.
Musically, Brown is working on new material for his upcoming album, Graffiti.
The songs “Changed Man”and“Not My Fault” have struck a nerve with music fans, as lyrics from both songs seem to address Brown’s current drama.
A rep for Brown’s label, Jive Records, revealed that “Changed Man” was recorded before Brown’s assault case, while “Not My Fault” and another track “Smash” were actually demo tracks that were not intended for release.