Brown's Court Appearance With Whitney At His Side...
[From
MTV News]
Bobby Brown Turns Himself In,
Appears In Court With Whitney At His Side
Bobby Brown turned himself in on
Wednesday and was charged with misdemeanor battery three days after he
allegedly struck wife Whitney Houston in the face. The blow was supposedly
delivered in the midst of an argument in their home during which Brown
reportedly threatened to "beat her ass."
The couple appeared together at the Fulton County Magistrate's Court in
Dunwoody, Georgia, according to Fulton County Police Department spokesperson
Corporal Kurtis Young.
Police were still seeking Brown, 34, as of Tuesday night, when they returned
to the couple's Alpharetta home and spoke to Houston a second time to see if
the 40-year-old singer had heard from her husband. Brown was originally
thought to have flown to California following the fight, but Young said it
was unclear if he had left the state (see "Bruised Whitney Houston Calls
Police After Alleged Altercation With Bobby Brown").
Brown appeared with his lawyer before a judge Wednesday afternoon and was
charged with one count of misdemeanor battery under Georgia's
domestic-violence law, which allows the state to file charges when domestic
violence is suspected, whether or not the victim cooperates. "Once the
allegation is reported, she doesn't have the option of whether or not to
press charges," Young explained.
Brown was released on a signature bond and ordered to return to court on
January 7. If he fails to do so, a bench warrant will be issued for his
arrest.
The charge of simple battery carries a sentence of up to one year in jail
and a $1,000 fine. Young said a first domestic-violence offense is sometimes
dismissed or suspended if the defendant enrolls in marriage or
anger-management counseling. Houston, who appeared in court with a bruise
visible on her left cheek, held hands with Brown while in court and the pair
left with their arms around each other as Houston exclaimed, "We're still
together," according to Young. Houston then sang along to the Aretha
Franklin song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" as the couple drove
away in their SUV.
Whitney's publicist issued a statement Wednesday from a family spokesperson
that read, "Bobby Brown is very apologetic about what happened and hopes his
wife forgives him."
—Gil Kaufman
NEWSFILE:
12 DECEMBER 2003
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