Rihanna Would Testify In Court

• 10th Mar 2009

Having confirmed last week that his client will testify if asked to do so in the case against her girlfriend-beating boyfriend Chris Brown (mainly because she has to by law), Rihanna's lawyer Donald Etra has been talking some more to MTV News. He says the singer is hoping for a speedy resolution to the case because “she wants to get along with her life and career”. He added that while the singer had, as previously reported, not asked for any kind of restraining order against Brown, that she would report any instances of him breaking the court order that was put in place by the judge – that he not “annoy, harass, molest, threaten or use force or violence against” her or anyone else. What all that means regarding the rumours Rihanna and Brown are back together is anyone's guess.

Brown is also seemingly seeking a speedy resolution in order to get on with his life. Of course, in his case getting on with his life means not going to prison for four years. According to TMZ, he is trying to make a plea bargain with prosecutors to have his charges bumped down from felony charges to misdemeanours. His lawyers argue that Rihanna's alleged “aggressiveness” in the couple's altercation (some reports claim she struck first) take the case out of the felony category. However, others argue those photographs of Rihanna's injuries show proof of Brown's “superior strength”, which would bump the charge right back up to a felony again.

TMZ also report that Brown sent a text message to Rihanna's assistant following the attack apologising for what he had done and saying that he was getting help. That text would be admissible in court and could be “extremely damaging” to Brown's case as it would amount to an admission of guilt. Brown has not yet entered a plea.