Chris Brown checked out of a rehab facility, but he will continue the program as an
outpatient, his representative told CNN on Thursday. The singer entered an
in-patient rehabilitation center last month, a day after he was released from a
Washington, D.C. jail following his arrest on an assault charge. When Brown
entered the rehab program on October 28, Perna said, "His goal is to gain
focus and insight into his past and recent behavior, enabling him to continue
the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point."
"Chris
is continuing his rehab program as an outpatient and is also completing his
community service in the Los Angeles area," rep Nicole Perna said
Thursday. "He appreciates all of your encouragement and support." Brown
must complete 1,000 hours of community labor in Los Angeles as part of his
punishment for beating former girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the Grammys in
February 2009.
The
behavior that has landed Brown, 24, in legal trouble over the past several
years has been anger management. His arrest on a sidewalk near the White House
on October 27 put Brown on a path toward a possible prison sentence because of
his California probation. The U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia charged
Brown and his bodyguard with simple assault for a brawl last month in which a 20-year-old
Maryland man suffered a broken nose. The Rihanna incident resulted in a felony
domestic violence conviction that carried a lengthy probation period. A judge
found Brown in violation of that probation in August because of discrepancies
in proving he fulfilled the court-ordered 1,400 hours of community labor. He
imposed another 1,000 hours of work. Brown is in a vulnerable position. The Los
Angeles judge overseeing his felony probation could order him to complete as
many as four years in prison for the beating of Rihanna if he is found in
violation of probation.
Brown
is due in a Los Angeles court on November 20 for a probation status hearing.
Prosecutors are waiting on the probation officer's report due next week to
decide whether they will seek to put him behind bars, a spokeswoman said. The
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office appears in no mood to cut Brown
any breaks, which suggests that prosecutors will ask for jail time for him
because of the arrest in Washington. The probation officer's job is to prepare
a report for the Los Angeles judge. While the simple assault charge is a misdemeanor,
it could trigger a probation revocation. Going to rehab -- as his rep said
"to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior" --
could allow Brown lawyer Mark Geragos to argue that the entertainer is getting
proper help for his core problem. The statement from Brown's rep did not
disclose where the singer is going for rehab or what might be a "healthier
vantage point" for him.
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