Rihanna and Chris the night of the fight, after the Annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party

Singer Chris Brown had his day in court on Thursday, answering to charges that he gave his girlfriend Rihanna a serious beatdown:

Chris Brown appeared at Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday (March 5) but did not enter a plea on two felony counts of assault and making criminal threats, stemming from his alleged altercation with girlfriend Rihanna on February 8. Rather, at the request of attorney Mark Geragos, Brown was granted a continuance in the case, meaning his arraignment has been pushed back until April 6. [...]

After granting Brown’s continuance request, the judge ordered the 19-year-old singer “not to annoy, harass, molest, threaten or use force or violence against anyone,” before asking Geragos if there were a “no-contact order” in place, to which he replied, “Miss Fenty does not request such an order.”

Outside the courtroom, Etra told E! News that Rihanna did not need a no-contact order and that the 21-year-old singer “is doing well, and she is making sure her rights are protected at every stage of the proceedings. … What will happen to Chris Brown is up to the district attorney in court.”

If Brown is convicted on the felony charges, his sentence could range from probation to up to four years in prison, CNN quoted the DA’s office as saying.

It seems the judge issued what is known as a Level One Order, which means that the two can talk and see one another but he can’t do something like threaten, hit, or fight with her without serious legal repercussions.  Rihanna did not appear in court, although her name did come up; it seems that for the trial to move ahead, Rihanna may have to testify against Chris, even though she seems to have forgiven him:

“So much of [the trial] hinges on the testimony of the victim or her willingness to testify and it’ll be interesting to see whether she cooperates with the prosecution or not,” he told reporters outside the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse this afternoon. “If she refuses to testify they’re probably not going to be able to get in whatever statements she’s already made to the police and then they have no case probably.”

When asked whether or not Rihanna could possibly face retribution for refusing to appear, he explained the legalities: “The prosecution is very familiar with continuing to prosecute domestic violence cases when the complaining witness changes her mind and doesn’t want to testify- they have often in past years sent people to jail or been willing to send people to jail if they refuse to testify. It’s just the way the law is constructed. Now there’s a real question as to whether they can do that to her.”

As for why Geragos requested a continuance, Goldman threw out two possible options. One, there could be a plea deal in the works, or two, the lawyers just need more time.

It seems that everything started when Chris got a text message from another woman; he and Rihanna started arguing, and it all went downhill from there:

*Rihanna read a three-page text message on Brown’s phone from a woman. 

*An argument followed. Brown allegedly tried to force Rihanna out of the car.

*Brown then allegedly shoved Rihanna’s head against the passenger window. Brown punched her, then continued punching Rihanna while driving.

*Blood splattered all over Rihanna’s clothing and in the interior of the car. Her mouth was filled with blood. Brown allegedly told Rihanna, “I’m going to beat the **** out of you when we get home. You wait and see.”

*Rihanna called her assistant and left a message saying, “I am on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there.” Brown allegedly then replied, “You just did the stupidest thing ever. I’m going to kill you.”

*The report also says Brown punched Rihanna, bit her on her ear, her fingers and put her in a headlock.

Possibly the most disturbing thing to come out of this is the news that this may not be the first time he has abused her, this is just the first time Chris got caught at it.  It seems that not only has this happened before, but that there are even worse photos of the incident than the one which has been released:

Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ, the night of the attack Rihanna told cops she was the victim of escalating violence — and the perp was Brown.

LAPD cops interviewed Rihanna after the attack and she told them Brown had been violent toward her in the past and that the attacks were getting “more violent” as time went on. [...]

And there’s something else. The photo that TMZ obtained showing Rihanna battered, bloody and bruised is mild compared to other photos. We’ve learned additional pics were taken on February 9, the day after the attack, and they are far more gruesome — the bruises and swelling far more pronounced. We’re told these photos show injuries that could be devastating in a case against Brown.

Radar has photos of what the interior of the car looked like after the fight; there are bloodstains spattered inside the car and there are definite signs of a struggle.

But what bothers me the most is that it seems nobody can reach Rihanna through previously open channels:

US: Have you seen the new police report that details Brown biting, hitting and threatening to kill Rihanna?
Fenty: I haven’t seen anything. I hear so many things. I don’t know what to believe until I see it myself. Rihanna’s mother is telling me that she hasn’t heard anything from her [Rihanna]. She said the last she heard Rihanna was well.

US: If those reports are true, how upset are you?
RF: I don’t know what to say, honest to god. I’ve been hearing so many stories. I don’t feel any pain anymore. I’ve gone numb. I’ve heard so much. But I can’t get on to her. Her mother can’t get on to her, her brother told me she changed her email. Somebody has a stranglehold on her. I’m lost.

US: I know you’ve been speaking with your daughter over text. Is she no longer reachable?
RF: I’ll text the old numbers she had, and I call them. One girl answered, and she said, “This is not Robyn’s number anymore.” I asked, “Do you work for Robyn? Do you deal with Robyn?” And the girl hung up, so I don’t know what’s going on anymore. I’m lost.

Us: What was her last text to you?
RF: [She] said, “Daddy, I miss you.” And that’s it. And I could not reply. I saw a number and texted back, “I miss you too.” And I didn’t get another reply from her.

Very typical behavior both for someone who is abusive and their victim…the abuser will often cut off the lines of communication to loved ones and friends; sometimes, the victim even cuts off communication on their own because they don’t want to be talked out of what they know deep down is a bad decision.  In the article I wrote earlier in the week, I said that if he abuses you once, he will abuse you again…which sadly seems to have come true in this case.  It doesn’t matter what the problem is, there is no excuse for abuse.  Rihanna has gone back to Chris, her abuser, and it can be inferred that this isn’t the first time she’s gone back to him after he has abused her in some way.

I realize, as a parent, we try to be a good role model for our children; but I’d be pretty stupid if I didn’t realize that children and young people also look up to people such as sports players, musicians, singers, and movie stars.  I worry that, as a woman that other young women admire, Rihanna’s actions send the wrong message…that it is okay if you lose it with someone you supposedly care for and use them as a punching bag, as long as you say you are really really sorry after the fact.  After all, “fan” is just short for “fanatic”, and often fans just don’t see when the object of their adulation is making bad choices.

Now, having said that, do I believe that all abusers are too far gone to ever be rehabilitated?  No, I don’t.  But I also realize that an abusive person is not changed overnight.  It takes a long time to change behavior patterns, learn new ways of handling problems, and learning how to not abuse others…it certainly isn’t something that you learn in less than a month.  Rihanna going back to Chris in less than a month’s time, in my opinion, just doesn’t give her the perspective she needs to see this event in its true light.  He beat the crap out of her; she goes back in less than a month’s time.  Something is definitely not right here.

And, quite frankly, for the abuser, it takes more than words to change; it even takes more than making a decision to change.  Words are cheap, it’s actions that show one’s true character.  An alcoholic has to do more than say they won’t drink again; a drug addict has to do more than decide not to pick up the needle; someone addicted to porn has to do more than make up their mind not to look at those images; an abuser has to do more than talk the talk.  And it is not just a one-time thing, but an every day decision…sometimes, even a moment to moment decision.  This is something that takes time…it’s a long healing process, not a quick band-aid.

If this has happened over and over, it is painfully obvious to everyone BUT Rihanna that Chris hasn’t changed, he’s just managed to once again charm his way back into her good graces.  He needs to change, and he is the only one who can make himself change.  We’re talking therapy, counseling, whatever it takes, for a long time…perhaps years.  A lifetime of learned abusive behavior isn’t going to suddenly turn into love and respect overnight.  She needs to stay far, far away from him while he works to get his life straightened out, and even then I’m not so sure I’d advise her to go back.  It might be okay, it might not, but only time will tell, and time is what they aren’t giving it.

Only in fairy tales does it take solely the love of a good woman to change the beast to a prince…in reality, the woman has to love herself enough first to decide that she’s too good to be treated like dirt.

Source: k