Today is the day that Rihanna will testify in court about what happened on that fateful day last Febuary, between her and her boyfriend at the time Chris Brown, that resulted in the infamous leaked police photo of an allegedly beaten Rihanna. Everyone is trying to speculate about what she will say. Shortly after the alleged incident, Rihanna and Chris appeared to reconcile…since that time, they have kept their distance from one another publically; and mostly, kept quiet about what happened between them.
There was a big backlash of people voicing concern, when the two sort of reconciled so soon after the incident of alleged abuse, because many felt that Rihanna was stepping into a role that many “victims” of domestic violence find themselves…one of an enabler. Shortly thereafter, there was at least a public distance created between the two. The silence has been deafning…meaning, that no one knows for sure what Rihanna will say in court. Her lawyer allegedly says she will tell the truth about what happened.
This could mean jail for up to four years, for Chris Brown, if the perception of what happened is anywhere near the truth and, he is convicted of it. Domestic violence/abuse is a serious crime with serious repercussions; people are hurt or killed everyday because of it. If you know someone in this type of situation, please encourage them to reach out for help here: http://www.ndvh.org/. But please, if they are in trouble, have them access that site from a computer that the suspected abuser doesn’t have access to…because it can leave a trace on a home computer that the abuser could find; that could lead to more violence. Taking the extra time for personal safety is important; volatile relationships can be unstable and if people in these circumstances don’t take precautions to get help safely, things can easily get out of control.
This situation will be watched by many just because of who the two individuals are; successful young musicians who have a strong fan base…being in the public eye is somewhat of a heavy responsibility as far as being a role model. This may be a role that neither of them wants. Millions of people who are not in the public eye go through similar circumstances and it is difficult, at best, to deal with; both for themselves and for the people who love them.
Keep in mind, that both of these two celebrities have friends and family who will be affected by whatever happens today in court; they will be affected emotionally, personally, professionally, and socially. Let’s try to keep in mind that no matter the legal outcome; that both individuals need to get help to deal with whatever truly happened that night; and, that hopefully, they each never find themselves in this position again. Patterns have a way of repeating themselves if people don’t get to the roots of the why domestic violence happened; that would be a double tragedy. Healing takes time, maybe this is the first part of the journey!
UPDATE: Chris Brown has accepted a plea deal. More breaking news to come!
Chris has agreed to a plea deal that will require him to serve 5 years of probation time and 6 months of community labor…he will not serve jail time unless he violates the terms of his probation. He must stay 50 yards from Rihanna unless he is at a business event then it is reduced to 10 yards. He is being required to pay fines and to finish a year of domestic violence classes. His community labor will be served in Virginia where he is from. August 5 is the court day for his formal sentencing. By pleading guilty to the felony charge, he will serve 4 years in jail if he violates the terms of his probation. Make no mistake…this agreement is nothing to sneeze at. In a world of celebrities, it is very easy to get into legal altercations with paparazzi or other celebs and it can turn violent at the drop of a hat…Chris Brown will have to avoid any situation that could appear to be in violation of his agreement with the court.
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