While the public at large has turned its back on R&B singer Chris Brown, the one person who should be keeping the farthest away from him seems to be his only friend at the moment. Sources say that battered girlfriend Rihanna is in regular contact with Brown and wants to reconcile with him in spite of his violent treatment of her – and her family is beside themselves about it.

Rihanna is defying worried family and friends to talk to her remorseful lover Chris Brown and arrange super-secret meetings with him, The ENQUIRER has learned.

Shockingly, the talented pop singer has not only forgiven the R&B bad boy for punching her during a violent spat, sources say she’s already taken him back!

“Even after what Chris did to her, Rihanna is crazy about him and she’s forgiven him,” a source close to the leggy beauty told The ENQUIRER.

“They’ve been talking on the phone, and they’ve agreed that once the legal problems are ironed out, they’ll be together. But as far as Rihanna is concerned, she’s already taken Chris back.
“They’ve missed one secret get-together, and now they’ve vowed to meet at a secret rendezvous location outside of Los Angeles.”

An insider added: “Everyone is advising Rihanna to stay away from Chris and concentrate on her career. But she won’t listen. She’s been talking to Chris on the phone, and she’s made it clear she doesn’t want their romance to end.

“Both she and Chris are feeling extremely low. Each one feels the fight was their fault.”

[From The National Enquirer]

As someone who used to work as an outreach counselor for battered women, there is nothing more frustrating and terrifying than a woman who refuses to leave her abuser. It’s also very common for the victims in these cases to blame themselves – but the reality is, there is no amount of “jealous behavior” that warrants this kind of violent treatment. Chris Brown is bigger and stronger than Rihanna and used this against her to bully her and control her. Period.

The belief that he is “remorseful” is also part of the abuse cycle. The ability to control his victim through acting remorseful is key for the batterer – he can turn it on and off at will. Rihanna is young and probably hasn’t had a lot of experience with relationships, so she hasn’t learned this yet. Her family is trying to spare her more pain and most likely, more violence. Hopefully she will realize this and stop all contact with Brown. But I fear she may learn this the hard way.

Rihanna and Chris are shown in November, 2008 in Australia. Credit: Fame

Rihanna issues statement
Rihanna has issued a statement through her representative nearly two weeks after a brutal incident with then-boyfriend Chris Brown. Rihanna was left bruised, bloodied and temporarily unconscious. The police rushed her to the hospital in the back of their cruiser because she was so injured they didn’t want to risk waiting for an ambulance. She was unable to perform as scheduled at the biggest event of the year for her industry the next day.

Rihanna spoke out for the first time since allegedly being assaulted by Chris Brown, issuing a statement of thanks to her fans.

“At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown,” says the statement from her rep on Friday. “She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time.”

The statement comes on her 21st birthday and a day after she was spotted in Los Angeles after spending nearly two weeks in seclusion.

The singer was photographed Thursday heading to an airport the same night a graphic photo reportedly showing her battered face surfaced on the Internet, upsetting her father, who criticized police for their “sloppy work.”

Prior to the statement, neither Rihanna nor her representatives had commented since the arrest of Brown, 19, on Feb. 8

On Friday, friends in Rihanna’s native Barbados marked her birthday by taking out an ad in the local paper wishing her a happy 21st “amidst all the negativity about Ri Ri. God will continue to bless her.”

“I just really love that girl,” Sharon Thompson, who bought the birthday greeting, tells PEOPLE. ” Some nights I cry because of what I’m hearing. It has me deeply hurt. She’s just so lovely.”

[From People]

That statement from Rihanna’s people is both reassuring and simply stated. Given the fact that the photo of her terrible injuries just came out, it was definitely needed as people were very concerned about how she was doing. It’s nice to hear that she has such caring friends who are rooting for her.

Brown could get away with attempted murder due to leak of Rihanna photo
TMZ has come under plenty of fire for releasing that picture of Rihanna’s injuries – on her 21st birthday no less. Not only was it a violation of Rihanna’s rights and made a very difficult situation for her even more public, it also may have compromised the prosecution. Website TheMediaBuffet claims to have an insider source at TMZ who says that the Rihanna photo was purchased for $62,500. Even if they have no source and are guessing at the numbers, they make a very good point that the release of this photo could allow Chris Brown to get away with attempted murder without even a slap on the wrist.

Insider TMZ turncoats spilled the numbers Levin’s minions are believed to have shelled out for pix taken of Rihanna immediately after the alleged Chris Brown attack. The source of the photo leak, a law enforcement insider close to the investigation, reportedly raked in $62.5k, double the salary of the person suspected of leaking the pic. Sources state TMZ pays a relative or friend of the snitch within 24 hours of receipt of a photo to cover their tracks. TMZ has been in the business of paying high dollar amounts for coveted pix. In 2007 Thomas Riccio, O.J. friend/auctioneer, was paid a mind boggling $165k, our sources say, by check delivered to his home, from TMZ, for photos and recordings related recent memorabilia heist O.J. was jailed for.

The most unfortunate aspect of the the entire incident is not only the total disrespect for the victim, Rihanna, but the legal ramifications related to jury pool pollution the public revelation of this photo obviously has on the possible upcoming criminal case against alleged attacker, Chris Brown. “Brown, even if guilty, could walk free because of the unauthorized release of this photo,” says and LAPD source. Insiders say LAPD brass is “furious, subpeonas have already gone out.” The fallout for TMZ has begun as advertisers are pulling back from their relationships with TMZ due to the controversy.

[From The Media Buffet, emphasis added - link has photo of battered Rihanna]

TMZ Owner: Photo was not obtained illegally, ‘picture was going to get out’
Jossip has footage of an interview in which TMZ owner Harvey Levin justifies the release of the battered photo of Rihanna. Levin said on LA News station KTLA that he was convinced that the photo was obtained legally and was not stolen police evidence.

Harvey Levin: A. It was gotten [sic] legally… and we always adhere to that and

B. When we got the picture, we honestly believed it was not an LAPD picture. I’m still not convinced it is.
I know what the police department said last night, and I had contact with them as well.

And when you read their press release they are not unequivocally saying that it is an LAPD picture, but that was not our understanding yesterday when we posted it. Nonetheless we’re not going to talk about where we got it other than the fact that we got it legallty.

[Transcribed from Harvey Levin's appearance on KTLA 2/20/09, via Jossip]

Levin kept insisting the photo wasn’t stolen property from the LAPD and went on to justify publishing the photo by saying “She was out on a street… it appears this was taken somewhere on a street…. This picture was going to get out.” You can tell from the way that guy talks that he used to work as a lawyer and that he has about zero scruples. When questioned about how the release of the photo might impact the case, Levin turned it around and made an analogy to how KTLA aired the Rodney King beating in 1991. He also brought up the OJ trial in some kind of analogy about how the evidence in a case doesn’t really matter.

Jossip has the video of his interview if you’d like to watch it.

TMZ got a lot of traffic and publicity for this photo, but was it worth it? If you don’t care about someone’s privacy or if you’re going to ruin their chances at justice, it probably was.

Rihanna is shown performing at the Super Bowl on 1/29/09. Credit: PRPhotos

Singer Rihanna’s father has made a statement to the press regarding the release of her beaten and bruised photo. He said it’s good and it’s bad that it’s out there. She deserved privacy as a victim of domestic violence. But he pointed out that it won’t let some people continue to think that the extent of her injuries had been exaggerated.

Rihanna’s father tells Usmagazine.com the leaked photo, allegedly of his daughter after her Feb. 8 altercation with Chris Brown, is “terrible.”

“Yeah, I saw it,” Ronald Fenty told Us in a telephone interview Friday morning. “It’s disturbing.”

The photo shows a female, who appears to be Rihanna, with bruises and cuts on her forehead, lips and cheeks.

Fenty said people now will be able to “grasp the situation a lot better.

“It’s good and it’s bad to see the picture because there’s other people who were thinking differently, that [Rihanna's injuries] may not be that bad, just a little spank or a little thing.”

Los Angeles Police have launched an internal investigation Thursday to determine who leaked the photo.

[From Us Weekly]

As Celebitchy pointed out, there are still people who will continue to deny that anything all that bad happened. I don’t understand how they manage to delude themselves, but some people need to function in a state of denial, and nothing will pull them out of that.

It is incredibly upsetting that Rihanna’s photo was released, and it means someone – or multiple someones – at the LAPD can obviously be bought. I truly hope they find that person and fire them. But it does shed light on just how severe this assault was, and just how much Chris Brown should be punished.

This is obviously not the photo we’re talking about, TMZ has that photo.

TMZ has a photo of Rihanna’s injuries taken by the LAPD after the incident in which Chris Brown is said to have punched her, strangled her, and left her unconscious in a car when he fled. Sadly, the previous details about this story seem to be true as her eyes look black and blue, and her lips are puffy with cuts and blood. There are also two contusions across both sides of her forehead. This picture reminds me of a photo a relative sent me after she had a face lift it’s so bad.

In case there’s any doubt that it’s a real photo taken that night, the LAPD has issued a statement saying that take internal leaks of evidence very seriously and are looking for help finding the person responsible for giving the photo to the press. Given the way the picture is a little light looking as if it’s reflecting a flash, someone may have taken a cell phone photo of it and sold it to TMZ:

Los Angeles: The unauthorized release of a domestic violence photograph immediately generated an internal investigation.

At about 7 p.m. on February 19, 2009, the Los Angeles Police Department Media Relations Section began receiving numerous inquiries about the release of a photograph associated with a domestic violence incident that occurred on February 8, 2009, involving entertainer Chris Brown. The photograph appeared on an entertainment website. The photograph has the appearance of one taken during an official Domestic Violence investigation.

The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence.

The Department launched an immediate internal investigation and subsequently filed a personnel complaint.

A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination.

Anyone with information concerning the unauthorized release of the photograph is asked to call, during regular business hours, (213) 485-4152. After-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to our 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “CRIMES” with a cell phone or
log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web Tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

[From PDF File available on TMZ]

There are still going to be fools defending Chris Brown even after this photo is out, but what can you say? He committed a terrible act of violence against the woman he supposedly loved, and all he had to say for himself was that he was “sorry and saddened… over what transpired.” Many of you have pointed out how passive that statement is, like the beating is something that just happened to him too. Several of his family members have told the press how Chris is doing, and how he’s coping as if anyone gives a shit or wishes him well.

Jay-Z’s statement on this is one that really brings it home to me: “Just imagine it being your sister or mom and then think about how we should talk about that.” I also like how unequivocally John Legend worded his statement “If Chris did what they said he did, that’s unacceptable. He has to accept the consequences of it.”

Seeing that picture of Rihanna in that state makes me want to give her a hug and make her some food. She looks so down and my heart goes out to her. Chris Brown should be dropped by every company that ever had anything to do with him.

According to E! Online, Brown may face more serious consequences than just losing his career, all his money and high end toys. He is being investigated for attempted murder after Rihanna reported that he told her he was going to kill her before strangling her into unconsciousness and fleeing the scene:

At the request of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, the R&B star is being investigated for a variety of felonies, including domestic violence, assault resulting in great bodily injury and—based on specific allegations made by Rihanna—even attempted murder, a source close to the L.A. Police Department’s investigation tells E! News.

But as they build their case, the source says, prosecutors fear that making any serious felony charges stick could prove difficult in a case where there are no direct witnesses other than Rihanna and Brown.
Brown is accused of beating his longtime girlfriend in the early morning hours of Feb. 8, causing them both to cancel their scheduled Grammy performances that night.

Rihanna told police that, while the two were fighting in his rented Lamborghini, Brown said to her, “I’m going to kill you,” while his hands were around her neck. The Barbados-born songstress, who is reportedly cooperating with the cops’ investigation, also told authorities that Brown choked her until she lost consciousness.

[From E! Online]

Brown has hired a crisis management type PR firm, but how is he going to respond to that allegation? The only way he can even partially redeem himself to the public is to admit that he has a serious problem, that he’s trying to understand it, and should never have laid a finger on Rihanna. It’s not like he can deny it happened. Given that there’s an investigation pending, his lawyers may advise him against admitting guilt though. It’s hard to see how this can end in a way that will allow Brown to continue to have any kind of career entertaining the public.

Terrence Howard gave a statement last week supporting Chris brown, before quickly retracting it and claiming that he was unaware of the details of the situation. Terrence faced legal action in October 2008 for assaulting Tex Allen, and it has just come out that he was arrested for assaulting his estranged wife in 2001. Howard broke a door down and punched his wife in the face twice, and according to police records he even admitted it when the cops came. The Smoking Gun has uncovered the records of the incident:

The actor, who co-starred in “Iron Man” and was nominated in 2006 for an Academy Award for his role in “Hustle & Flow,” was arrested by Pennsylvania cops in September 2001 for assaulting his estranged wife. According to a Whitemarsh Police Department report, after Howard and Lori McCommas argued on the phone, the actor warned, “Don’t disrespect me by hanging up on me or I’ll come over and hurt you.” McCommas then “hung up and contacted 911 fearing Howard was serious.” While McCommas was speaking with a police dispatcher, Howard “showed up at the victim’s residence and began breaking the door down.” McCommas ran to the rear of the house and into the backyard. Howard then “broke the front door down and ran through the screen door in the kitchen. Howard then grabbed the victim’s left arm and punched her twice with a closed fist in the left side of the face.” The attack was broken up by Howard’s brother, who responded to McCommas’s house after he “saw Howard storm out of their house to go to the victim’s house.” When a Whitemarsh cop responded to the scene, Howard admitted, “I broke the door down and hit my wife.” A second officer noted there was “fresh damage to the front door and marks on the victim’s face and arm from being struck.” Police evidence photos show the damage Howard did to the doors in McCommas’s residence. After being charged with a variety of crimes (simple assault, terroristic threats, harassment and stalking), Howard subsequently pleaded guilty in 2002 to disorderly conduct.

Terrence originally said about Chris Brown and Rihanna that “It’s just life, man. Chris is a great guy. He’ll be all right. And Rihanna knows he loves her. She’ll be all right. Just everybody’s got to get out of their way.” He later retracted the statement, saying he had no idea what the incident was when he was initially asked to comment. I believed it when Terrence claimed that he had been unaware of the fight, but given his personal history maybe it would have been better to decline to comment.

Rihanna has yet to make an official statement, and Chris Brown’s statement/apology was vague. The only part of the story we know for sure is that there was a fight and Rihanna was injured, but the extent of the injuries, the cause of the fight and if it was the first time they fought is in question.

Terrence Howard is shown at the Golden Globes on 1/11/09 and at the Gotham Awards on 12/2/08. Credit: PRPhotos

Chris Brown has finally wised up a teeny, tiny bit and retained the services of a professional PR firm. Brown stupidly had his friends and family defending his actions and character last week, after he was arrested for severely assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He also made a few unfortunate comments on his Facebook page, which he of course now denies.

Brown has hired Sitrick & Company, who have a long history of helping celebs try to manage PR nightmares. There’s probably not much they can do to improve Brown’s situation, except speaking on his behalf. Which is still better than Chris speaking for himself.

Embattled R&B singer Chris Brown has hired the Los Angeles based crisis management PR firm of Sitrick & Company, as he attempts to counter a wave of bad press following his alleged altercation with his ex-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Sitrick is considered an expert in navigating celebs through negative publicity because of unseemly situations stars may find themselves in. Chris Brown’s statement on Sunday was issued on behalf of Sitrick & Company, the first time the company has ever issued anything involving Brown. RadarOnline.com contacted p.r. brass at Sitrick, but was told they could not comment on when Brown retained them.

Michael Sitrick, whom reportedly charges $695 an hour, is well known for handling high profiles celebs when they find themselves on the wrong side of the headlines. From Halle Berry’s alleged hit-and-run mishap, Rush Limbaugh’s oxy-contin scandal to Kim Basinger’s bankruptcy, Sitrick’s client roster reads like a dossier of by-gone scandals.

Sitrick wrote in his book, “Spin: How to Turn The Power of the Press to Your Advantage,” ‘Correcting a problem is necessary, but alas, rarely sufficient; that is where the spin comes in.” Sitrick may attempt to spin the tragic events of that night, but the best p.r. professional probably won’t be able to save Chris Brown from the person that seems to be hurting him most, Chris Brown.

[From Radar]

Many celebs are speaking out, saying they don’t buy a word of Brown’s supposed apologies. Rosanne Barr shared a piece of her mind about the scandal, pointing out that Brown even uses the language typical of abusers.

Say what?
In a blistering new blog, comedienne Roseanne Barr lashes out at Chris Brown.

Roseanne writes:
“make me want to beat the crap out of him…he uses the language of the perpetrator just like every sleazy bastard who ever smacked his wife, kid mother or girlfriend around uses. you dirty bastard, I hope you go to prison for ten years. IT’S YOUR FAULT, A** HOLE! as for all the mealy mouthed hollywood and music scene chicks that can’t bring themselves to condemn a misogynistic bully, let me say this: your time as whores for propaganda is ending, bitches.”

[From Radar]

Us also asked ¾ of Hollywood to weigh in on the situation. Nearly everyone has an opinion, though several celebs chose to play it safe in their comments. Here are a few.

Gayle King said she wasn’t moved by Chris Brown apology, in which he said Sunday he is “saddened … over what transpired” with girlfriend Rihanna. “I can’t think of anything that makes me support anything that Chris Brown is saying at this time,” King tells Extra. “And my heart just aches for Rihanna.”

JAY-Z
“This is a real situation. You have to have compassion for others. Just imagine it being your sister or mom and then think about how we should talk about that. I just think we should all support her. She’s going through a tough time. You have to realize she’s a young girl, as well. She’s very young.”

UGLY BETTY’S MARK INDELICATO
“I don’t really know that much about it. I think that doing that to a woman is wrong in any way. It doesn’t matter who did it to you. But, you know, I don’t know that much about it, so I can’t really comment too much on it.”

MOLLY SIMS
“It’s so sad. I don’t think anybody knows the whole truth, but I guess the truth really doesn’t matter when [abuse] is the result. That should never happen, no matter what. And I love his music. That being said, I think [about] Rihanna: No girl, no woman, no mother, no sister, no friend, no one deserves that. Absolutely.”

MARK CURRY
“Women, throughout history, have been beaten and prostituted. Even today in movies and music, they’re portrayed as low-grade, so you know, he’s a youngster, and he can correct his ways. It’s just a tragedy – women and abuse.”

[From Us Weekly]

Rihanna is said to be appalled” “with Chris Brown’s half-hearted, self-serving apology. I was surprised that many celebrities decided to remain so neutral. I can understand making a “no comment.” But in Us Weekly’s article, Heidi Montag, Kellie Pickler, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige, Ruben Studdard, Lindsay Lohan, and Nia Long all made some sort of ambivalent statements.

The comments ranged from things like, “They’re young, they can change,” to “I don’t know what happened, it’s between them,” to “they both have great careers and seem like nice people.” I tend to agree more with Rosanne (never did I think I’d use that sentence). I don’t need to know what happened, because there’s no excuse for how it ended.

Here’s Brown at the 2008 American Music Awards in November. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Nearly a week after the much talked about domestic abuse incident that left Rihanna with a black eye and split lip right before a scheduled Grammy performance, Chris Brown has issued a public apology. Brown doesn’t deny his part in the incident, but only says that a lot of the reports after the fact have been incorrect:

The following statement was issued Sunday by a spokesman on behalf of Chris Brown:

“Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God’s help, to emerging a better person.

“Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong.

“While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else.

“Those posts or writings under my name are frauds,” the statement concludes.

At least Chris didn’t write that crap on Facebook about seeing Rihanna’s true colors and had the sense to wait until he had a more thoughtful response. It seems like too little too late, though. All the stories about how the fight happened – that Chris may have received a booty call text message, that Rihanna may have caught him talking to another famous woman, only served to complicate the story. It almost doesn’t matter how the fight came about if the result was that Rihanna was left bloodied, bruised and unconscious.

Jay-Z has urged people to support his protege Rihanna, and the way he worded his statement shows that he condemns Brown’s actions, even though he never mentions him at all:

Jay-Z struck a serious note Saturday when asked for his words of support for Rihanna.

“This is a real situation,” he said in Phoenix at the Sprite Green presents the Third Annual Two Kings dinner with Jay-Z and Lebron James, as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend.

“You have to have compassion for others. Just imagine it being your sister or mom and then think about how we should talk about that,” the hip-hop mogul, 39, continued.

“I just think we should all support her. She’s going through a tough time. You have to realize she’s a young girl, as well. She’s very young.”

[From People]

Rihanna does have a lot of support, but Chris, not so much. At least he’s apologized now, but that’s the type of thing he might not ever be able to make right. Many people have pointed out that if accused child molesters like R. Kelly and Micheal Jackson can recover, so can Brown. It can be argued that R. Kelly and Jackson never quite redeemed themselves to the public, though, and that their careers weren’t the same after the allegations.

Chris Brown is shown on 2/7/09 before Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party. Credit: PRPhotos

Carrie Underwood – who I used to kinda sorta like – made some very stupid comments about the Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. Perhaps she wasn’t thinking before she spoke and didn’t realize the implications her comments could have. But they were insensitive and insulting nonetheless. Underwood told Us Weekly that the pair were fine when they left Clive Davis’ Grammy party. And then she urged everyone to withhold judgment.

Carrie Underwood saw Chris Brown and Rihanna at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills on Saturday – hours before Brown allegedly assaulted his girlfriend.

“They were fine at the Grammy party,” Underwood told Usmagazine.com Thursday at the American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

“I don’t think anybody actually knows what happened,” she added. “I have no advice because, thank goodness, I’ve never been in any kind of abusive situation.”

She told Us she wishes people “would stop” spreading rumors about what led to the incident.

“You hear a new one every five minutes, and some of them are getting kind of ridiculous,” she said. “I really hope everyone will lay off and just let everybody who’s involved figure out everything first.”

[From OMG]

Here’s the problematic statement: “I don’t think anybody actually knows what happened.” We do know the basic fact that Rihanna was beaten senseless. She was bitten multiple times. She was choked into unconsciousness. She has black eyes and a split lip. This was a violent, rage-filled act. We know that happened. What Underwood is saying is that we don’t know what happened prior to that, as though there could be an explanation that would justify it. There is absolutely nothing that could have happened that excuses or explains domestic assault. And it’s not Rihanna’s job – or any woman’s job – to live her life walking on eggshells so she doesn’t provoke a beating from her boyfriend.

People magazine is even reporting on what Rihanna will have to do to heal from this terrible experience. And People is extraordinarily careful with what they print – but even they’re not going to placate Chris Brown and act like this is anything other than what it is: hateful, evil, and criminal.

As Rihanna recovers from Sunday morning’s alleged beating by her boyfriend, Chris Brown, the singer will need to tend to more than her bruises. According to experts, a victim must surround herself with people who will not make her feel responsible for what happened. “Friends, family, people who will give you good and positive information and not ask questions like, ‘So, what were you doing?’ ” explains Rita Smith, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Adds Sheryl Cates, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline: “I’d say to Rihanna, ‘You did not cause this.’ ”

As her physical wounds heal, Rihanna could still suffer sleeping problems, a change in eating patterns and a lack of concentration, says Smith. “She could also experience an exaggerated startle response,” says Smith. “Somebody raising their hand to say hi near her might bring a reaction.

“This is a normal response to being a victim of violence. Those things will lessen and go away, but they’ll be around for a while,” adds Smith. Joining a support group or speaking with a counselor involved in a domestic violence program can aid in healing, says Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

“Feeling like there is safety net around you is going to help that,” says Else. “Feeling like you’re not in this alone – that you didn’t do anything to cause it.”

[From People]

This is good information for anyone who has been or is currently a victim of domestic violence. Rihanna is fortunate in that she is not financially dependent on Brown, so in that one respect it is easier for her to leave him. Many women are not so lucky. Hopefully she has good people around to support her – she’s certainly got the vast majority of the public support. Her career is just going to get better – whereas Chris Brown is going to learn a very powerful lesson. Hopefully he will learn it through the legal system – but if not he’ll learn a lesser one through the court of public opinion – and nonexistent CD sales.

If you are being abused, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit their website at www.ndvh.org.

Here’s Carrie Underwood at Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy Gala on February 7th. Images thanks to WENN.

I almost don’t want to cover this, because I don’t want to believe that there are people in this world who think like this. Chris Brown’s cousin told Extra! that he must have been provoked since he wasn’t “brought up to beat on a woman.” It’s clear that he was raised in an environment in which that type of thing is tolerated, though, if his own cousin would say something so offensive:

Earlier today, Brown’s stepdad spoke out denying that he had ever been abusive to Brown’s mother–something the singer vehemently disagreed with in a 2007 interview. And now, the R&B singer’s cousin has stepped forward, making a controversial claim to Extra.

In a new interview airing tonight, Phylicia Thompson says of her cousin, “Chris was not brought up to beat on a woman. So it had to be something to provoke him for Chris to do it.”

Thompson continues, “He wouldn’t have done it just to be having fun…But what happens behind closed doors, nobody ever knows.”

[From OK! Magazine]

There are all sorts of stories about why Chris and Rihanna got in a fight, with many focusing on a potential booty-call text message that Chris received. It makes absolutely no difference to me what they were arguing about if the result of that argument is that Rihanna was choked into an unconsciousness, beaten about the face and bitten, and left there.

There is almost no excuse apart from extreme self defense that can justify that type of barbaric act. No one ever “has that coming,” no one can ever justify nearly killing someone else, and no one can ever “provoke” someone into strangling them and beating them black and blue unless they are being attacked and defending themselves, and it seems incredibly unlikely that was the case. These were two people that were in a relationship and one, the woman, ended up left there passed out with a split lip, black eyes, and bite marks. It’s hard to imagine any type of scenario in which Brown would fear for his life and inflict that kind of damage, but it’s easy to see how he might justify it in his twisted logic if his family is defending him by assuming he was provoked. He came from an environment in which he saw abuse against women and somehow thinks they have it coming. Instead of being a real man and breaking that chain of abuse he went on to continue it, and he should lose any chance at a career in the public spotlight if that’s indeed what happened. It’s looking more like that’s the case given the way he’s responded to it – by blaming the victim.

For those of you who think there is ever a scenario in a relationship where this is ok, I am so very sorry for you. You should never have to witness that type of thing at any stage of your life, particularly as a child, and you should never feel that you have to accept brutality in a relationship for any reason.

Chris Brown is shown on 2/6/09 at a pre-Grammy party

Just when you think Chris Brown cannot possibly make himself look any worse, he finds another way to look like an incredibly big asshole. Instead of being semi-smart and hiring a PR rep to navigate the huge mess he’s made for himself, Brown has been having his buddies talk to the press. And if that’s not enough, he’s started posting passive-aggressive crap on his private Facebook page too.

Disgraced R&B star Chris Brown has made his first statement following his alleged beating of superstar girlfriend Rihanna – he posted an update on his private Facebook page reading: “You’ll begin to see her true colors. Believe it!”

And it seems that the troubled singer has confirmed his split from the Barbadian beauty by changing his relationship status to ‘single’. Brown’s comment appears to suggest Rihanna, 20, is partly to blame for the alleged attack which left her with heavy bruising, scratches and bite marks.

In his profile picture, Brown is seen hugging a mystery brunette while smiling and pulling her leg across his body. The private page – listed under his full name Christopher Maurice Brown – has been exposed by mediatake-out.com.

It is separate to his public Facebook and MySpace pages used by his fans and lists his contact details as Jive Records, in New York. Neither Brown, 19, nor Rihanna have been seen publicly since the alleged punch up in a Los Angeles street following a pre-Grammy party on Sunday night.

The Umbrella singer has made no statement, although legions of concerned fans have flooded her MySpace page with messages of support.

[From The New York Post]

We’ll begin to see her true colors? What I’m guessing this means is that Rihanna did something that made Chris mad. And I think that’s safe to assume, because it’s unlikely – though not impossible – that he just randomly started beating on her. But it doesn’t matter what she did, what she said – nothing. There is no excuse for domestic violence. I’m assuming in Brown’s mind, whatever made him so angry is still justification for him beating the shit out of his girlfriend. Trying to put any blame on her makes it clear that, despite his friends’ claims that he “feels bad,” it’s clearly bullshit.

Brown’s sister also said, “He’s always been a good boy. Never violent… He’s doing good… He’s coping… He’s doing as to be expected.” One problem: no one gives a shit how he’s doing.

Just keep digging yourself deeper Chris. You’re losing your endorsements, your fans, and your famous friends. No one agrees with you and no one will stand up for you. Who knows what’ll happen legally – but your career is through.

Here’s Chris Brown in Dublin on January 31st. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.