Latest news with #assault
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Singer Chris Brown in London Court on Assault Case
American R&B singer Chris Brown, the former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, was due to appear in court Friday in London on assault charges. Brown was freed from UK custody last month on £5 million ($6.7 million) bail after his arrest in the northwestern city of Manchester, AFP said. Under the terms of his bail, which would see him forfeit the £5 million guarantee if he failed to return for court proceedings, the Grammy-winning Brown, 36, was given the go-ahead to continue his scheduled international tour, which began on June 8 in Amsterdam. The star, who had a troubled relationship with Barbadian singer Rihanna, is currently performing the UK leg of his tour, with his next date in London on Saturday. Concerts are also scheduled in France, Portugal and the US later in the year, before the tour wraps up in Memphis in mid-October. The star is charged with "grievous bodily harm with intent" in relation to an assault in which the victim was allegedly struck several times with a bottle before being pursued, punched and kicked. The alleged incident took place at a nightclub in Hanover Square in London on February 19, 2023 while Brown was touring in the UK. Police detained him in the early hours of May 13 at a five-star hotel in Manchester after he reportedly flew in by private jet. Judge Tony Baumgartner, at Southwark Crown Court in London, last month ordered that he could be freed on bail, and also stipulated that he should surrender his passport if he is not travelling. He is required to live at a specific address known to the court and is not permitted to visit the nightclub were the alleged assault took place or contact the alleged victim, Abraham Diah. Co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, a 38-year-old US national, has also been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent. Brown is known for mid-2000s hits such as "Kiss, Kiss". He rose from a local church choir in Virginia to sudden fame with his rich R&B voice and later rap, but his reputation has been tarnished by the allegations of abuse.
ABC News
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Chris Brown pleads not guilty over alleged London nightclub beating
Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded not guilty on Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. Brown, 36, pleaded not guilty in Southwark Crown Court to one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. Brown's friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name Hoody Baby, pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Prosecutors said Brown and Akinlolu assaulted producer Abe Diaw at a bar in the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighbourhood in February 2023. Brown allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Diaw and hit him several times with a bottle, and then punched and kicked him. The attack was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, prosecutors said. Brown was released last month on 5 million British pounds ($10.39 million) bail, which allowed him to start his world tour earlier this month. His trial is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026. Brown, who burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005, won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and then earned his second in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year. His hits include songs such as Run It, Kiss Kiss and Without You. His tour is due to kick off June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July. AP
New York Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Chris Brown Free to Play World Tour After Not Guilty Plea
Chris Brown, the Grammy-winning R&B singer, appeared on Friday in a London courthouse and pleaded not guilty to assaulting a man in a nightclub in the city. Tony Baumgartner, the presiding judge, said that Mr. Brown would face a trial of between five and seven days, starting in October next year, on a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent. After a court hearing last month, Mr. Brown posted bail of 5 million pounds, about $6.7 million, allowing him to travel outside Britain and continue a world tour that takes in North American dates, including two nights in August at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. During Friday's heading, prosecutors did not ask for any changes to the bail conditions. In the courthouse, Mr. Brown sat in a plexiglass box wearing a blue suit and glasses, and listened to a court official describe a February 2023 encounter in which the singer is accused of attacking Abraham Diaw, a music producer, with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub. Mr. Brown then pleaded not guilty. Omololu Akinlolu, 38, an American rapper who performs under the name HoodyBaby and is Mr. Brown's vocal coach, also pleaded not guilty in relation to the episode. Mr. Brown's legal team requested a delay before he entered pleas on two further charges: assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and carrying an offensive weapon. Sallie Bennett-Jenkins, Mr. Brown's lawyer, said that she needed time to assess evidence that the prosecution had only recently provided. The judge said the court would reconvene on July 11 to hear those pleas. Under British law, media outlets cannot report any details of a case that could prejudice a jury before trial. After the 28-minute hearing, Mr. Brown walked out of the courtroom while waving to around two dozen fans in the public gallery, several of whom shouted, 'Love you, Chris!' The court appearance occurred in the middle of the European leg of the American singer's world tour. At a concert in Manchester on Sunday, Mr. Brown thanked fans as well as the nearby jail where he stayed after his arrest last month. 'It was really nice,' Mr. Brown said, according to a report by the BBC. Since releasing his debut single in 2005, Mr. Brown has been one of R&B's best-known performers with 17 Billboard top 10 hits, the most recent of which was 'Go Crazy' in 2020.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Chris Brown pleads not guilty to beating music producer with bottle in London nightclub in 2023
London — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. Brown, 36, pleaded not guilty in Southwark Crown Court to one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. Singer Chris Brown walks outside Southwark Crown Court in London on June 20, 2025. Isabel Infantes / REUTERS Brown's friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name "Hoody Baby," pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Prosecutors said Brown and Akinlolu assaulted producer Abe Diaw at a bar in the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in February 2023. Brown allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on Diaw and hit him several times with a bottle and then punched and kicked him. The attack was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, prosecutors said. Brown was released last month on 5 million-pound ($6.75 million) bail, which allowed him to start his world tour earlier this month. Brown, who burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005, won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for "F.A.M.E." and then earned his second in the same category for "11:11 (Deluxe)" earlier this year. His hits include songs such as "Run It," "Kiss Kiss" and "Without You." His tour is slated to start shows in North America next month.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Singer Chris Brown pleads not guilty in London assault case
LONDON — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. Brown, 36, pleaded not guilty in Southwark Crown Court to one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. Brown's friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name 'Hoody Baby,' pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Prosecutors said Brown and Akinlolu assaulted producer Abe Diaw at a bar in the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in February 2023. Brown allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on Diaw and hit him several times with a bottle and then punched and kicked him. The attack was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, prosecutors said. Brown was released last month on 5 million-pound ($6.75 million) bail, which allowed him to start his world tour earlier this month. Brown, who burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005, won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for 'F.A.M.E.' and then earned his second in the same category for '11:11 (Deluxe)' earlier this year. His hits include songs such as 'Run It,' 'Kiss Kiss' and 'Without You.' His tour is due to kick off June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July. The Associated Press
