LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Brown has finally put his 2009 attack on Rihanna behind him, at least legally.
Superior Court
Judge James R. Brandlin ended Brown's felony probation on Friday,
more
than six years after the R&B singer brutally attacked his
then-girlfriend hours before the Grammy Awards.
The
attack erased Brown's squeaky clean image, which he has failed to
regain in the ensuing years after incidents such as throwing a chair
through a window after a contentious "Good Morning America" interview
and a parking lot brawl with singer Frank Ocean. Brown's career has
partially rebounded, with the singer performing at the 2012 Grammy
Awards and winning a trophy for best R&B album.
Brandlin's
decision marks the first time since mid-2009 that Brown will not be
under the supervision of court or probation officials. The singer
initially avoided problems with the case, but since 2013 has struggled
to complete his community service obligations and had his probation
revoked in January after he performed a show in Northern California
without permission.
Brown and his attorney Mark Geragos hugged in
the courtroom and again in a courthouse elevator. After the hearing, he
tweeted, "IM OFF PROBATION!!!!!!!! Thank the Lord!!!!!!"
The
case forced Brown, 25, to confront some deep personal issues: he says
he witnessed domestic violence as a child and while in rehab, he was
diagnosed as bipolar, a condition exacerbated by his frequent marijuana
use.
The singer has alternated
between appearing contrite and polite in court to defiant and angry on
social media and in public appearances. Although he maintains a sizable
and supportive fan base, known as team breezy, the case has stunted his
career.
In February, Canadian immigration officials refused to
allow him into the country, forcing him to cancel two shows, and British
officials blocked his entry in 2010 forcing the cancellation of four
performances.
The singer lost several months of his touring
schedule last year dealing with repercussion from a fight in Washington,
D.C., and issues he encountered in rehab.
"I couldn't be more delighted," Geragos said after the hearing.
"He
is in a spot right now and a place right now that I couldn't be prouder
of him," Geragos said of Brown. He said Friday's hearing was "a
monumental feat for him."
Problems began in 2013 after
prosecutors questioned whether he had complied with the terms of his
community labor sentence and Brandlin briefly revoked his probation in a
hit-and-run case filed against the singer over a fender bender.
Later
that year, Brown struck a man outside a Washington hotel and was
charged with misdemeanor assault. Brown was ordered into rehab but was
dismissed from the facility for violating its rules and spent
two-and-a-half months in custody, with U.S. marshals shuttling him
between Los Angeles and the nation's capital for court hearings.
In
another incident while in treatment, Brown threw a brick at his
mother's car following a counseling session. The incidents occurred
after Brown had completed court-ordered anger management sessions.
Brown
missed the January deadline to complete his community labor sentence,
which required him to perform manual labor such as roadside cleanup or
graffiti removal.
Brown was
19 years old when he attacked Rihanna in a rented sports car after
leaving a pre-Grammy Awards party. Brown fled the scene but turned
himself in to police hours later and was subsequently charged with
felony assault.
Celebrity website TMZ posted a
photo of Rihanna's battered face, showing extensive injuries that a
detective described in detail in a search warrant affidavit seeking
phone records from both singers. Brown repeatedly punched Rihanna, bit
her ear and choked her to the point that she nearly lost consciousness,
according to the affidavit.
Brown
pleaded guilty to felony assault in June 2009 and was ordered to stay
away from Rihanna, although the order was later lifted and the pair
rekindled their romance. They've since broken up.
The singers have
collaborated on at least three songs together since the 2009
altercation, including the aptly titled "Nobody's Business" from
Rihanna's last album, 2012's Grammy-winning "Unapologetic."
As
part of his sentence, Brown was required to undergo domestic violence
counseling. Brandlin also ordered Brown into rehab, which resulted in
the singer being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress
disorder and complications from substance abuse.
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