Chris Brown is scheduled to appear in court in London today. The American singer was arrested in May on suspicion of aggravated assault with premeditation. Brown is currently out on bail and is busy with his world tour. Here’s what’s going on.
The Run It! singer was arrested on May 15 at a hotel in Manchester. Two years earlier, he allegedly hit a music producer with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub.
The music producer sued Brown in October 2023 for the assault. He is seeking $15 million (over 13 million euros) in damages for the physical and emotional distress he claims to have suffered. That case is still ongoing.
After his arrest in Manchester, Brown was taken into custody until a magistrate ruled on the case. But the judge finds the offense too serious to handle himself and transfers the case to the Southwark Crown Court in London.
That is bad news for the singer’s fans. Brown was supposed to start his Breezy Bowl XX tour on June 8. The first performance is scheduled at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. The new hearing date is set for June 13. Brown tries several times to reach a bail agreement, but it appears that he must await the new hearing from an English prison.
Brown must pay bail of 6 million euros
On May 21 – almost a week after his arrest – Brown is released after paying bail of approximately 6 million euros and can start his tour. Brown is only allowed to travel to concert venues. The new hearing is moved to June 20.
During his show in the ArenA, Brown reveals little about the ongoing lawsuit. He says almost nothing to his fans. But via a video on the big screen, the singer does pay a little attention to it.
Not Brown’s first violent crime
The 36-year-old Brown is currently in England because of his tour. That comes in handy, because the lawsuit will continue there today. It appears that his planned shows in Ireland, Portugal and North America can continue as planned after today, even though there is still a hearing on the agenda on October 24.
This is not the first time Brown has been linked to violent incidents. In 2009, he was convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. The singer was then given a five-year suspended sentence and 180 days of community service. He also had to take an anger management course.
That course seems to have little effect. In the years that followed, the incidents piled up. From a fight with rapper Drake in 2012 to a restraining order requested in 2017 by his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran. Brown allegedly threatened to kill her. Several women also accuse him of rape.
Brown is known for songs like Yeah 3x, Forever and Under The Influence. The singer won Grammys for his albums F.A.M.E. (2011) and 11:11 (2023).