Entertainment

Judge Revokes Chris Brown Probation in Rihanna Assault Case

Published

10 years ago

January 16, 2015

R&B singer Chris Brown, right, appears with his attorney, Attorney Mark Geragos in Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. A judge has revoked Brown's probation but allowed him to remain free for now after the R&B singer traveled without approval for a concert and failed to complete community service on time. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James R. Brandlin allowed Brown to remain free until a March 20 hearing when the judge will receive an update from probation officials. (AP Photo/Lucy Nicholson, Pool)

R&B singer Chris Brown, right, appears with his attorney, Attorney Mark Geragos in Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Lucy Nicholson, Pool)

ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge revoked Chris Brown’s probation on Thursday but allowed him to remain free for now after the R&B singer traveled without approval for a concert and failed to complete community service on time.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James R. Brandlin said Brown can remain free at least until a March 20 hearing when the judge will receive an update from probation officials.

Brown was ordered by those officials in December not to leave Los Angeles County without permission. However, the Grammy-winning singer performed at a nightclub in San Jose on Jan. 11 without obtaining permission to travel.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos told Brandlin that his office incorrectly advised Brown that he didn’t need permission to travel for the show.

The judge said he accepted Geragos’ explanation, but needed to revoke the singer’s probation to keep control of the case. Brandlin also said it was not unexpected that Brown failed to complete his community service on time.

Brown was supposed to complete 1,000 hours of community labor by the end of January but has roughly 200 hours left, Brandlin said.

A shooting at the San Jose club injured five people, but there were no indications that Brown was involved in the attack. Still, Brandlin ordered probation officials to investigate the shooting and whether there were any issues involving Brown.

In a report, the singer’s probation officer cited another shooting last year involving a Los Angeles nightclub where Brown was present and wrote that Brown is showing poor judgment.

“Though he has shown the ability to be compliant during long stretches of his probation grant, (Brown) continues a pattern of making choices that are counterproductive in his ability to be successful on probation,” Probation Officer Carlos Delgado wrote. “There is also concern that when he performs or attends at (sic) some of his public events, people will get shot or seriously injured.”

Brown has been on probation for his 2009 attack on pop singer Rihanna, then his girlfriend. He was required to complete the community service before the end of January.

Brown appeared in court Thursday with his mother and girlfriend. All three looked somber before the start of the hearing, with Brown spending much of his time with his eyes closed and head down.

The judge said Brown had been making steady progress on the community service aspect of his sentence that requires him to perform manual work such as roadside cleanup or graffiti removal.

The singer avoided probation problems until 2013, when prosecutors questioned whether he completed the terms of his community labor in Virginia. Brandlin briefly revoked Brown’s probation after he was charged with hit-and-run after an accident. That case was later dismissed.

In another case in October 2013, Brown struck a man outside a Washington, D.C., hotel and was charged with misdemeanor assault. Brandlin ordered Brown into rehab, but the singer was expelled from the program in March 2014.

He spent two-and-a-half months in custody before being released in June.

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

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Promise Marks Performs Songs of Etta James in One-Woman Show, “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley

“The (show) is a fictional story about a character named Etta, aka Lady Peaches,” said Marks. “She falls in love with Johnny Rhythm, leader of the Rhythm Players Band and headliners of Madam G’s Glitta Lounge.” Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

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4 days ago

December 18, 2024

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Photo Courtesy Of Promise Marks.

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It was “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Group Theater in Berkeley on Saturday night, Dec. 7. The one-woman musical based on the music of Etta James featured the multi-talented singer Promise Marks

Marks, who wrote and directed the musical, also owns PM Productions.

Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

In between her soulful songs, Marks narrated impactful moments of the love story and journey of blues and forgiveness.

Marks sultry voice carried the audience back to an era that echoed with the power of Black music and a time of great change.

Marks said James shared love for the Black community by singing at gatherings during the Civil Rights Movement uplifting the people.

“She spoke to the movement, spoke to the people, and let her music speak for itself,” Marks said.

Backing the musical’s monologues, images and videos of Etta James are projected for the audience to view. While the production is fictional, Marks infused script with the unfairness and heartbreak James experienced while performing.

Marks performed gospel artist Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down” as she narrated acts of reconciliation and forgiveness among the characters at Johnny Rhythm’s deathbed.

Marks, who regularly sings for the Miss America Pageant, was asked to perform as Etta James last year. “(At the event) a lady yelled out to me: ‘You’re Etta James!’ And then the audience went crazy. I said to myself, ‘I may have something here,’” she said.

Within 12 months, Marks created the musical production, which featured a dozen songs honoring “the great legacy of Etta James,” she said.

Marks says she was saddened to see how Etta James was often judged by the struggles in her life and wanted to offer attendees a more layered view.

“Etta’s life was so big. I want people to know that she was more than her drug addiction,” said Marks. “We can’t make that her legacy. Her catalog is too amazing. You can’t just be that and have the catalog that she (created). I don’t want the addiction to be the focus: I want her music, her element, her sassiness, and what she brought to be the focus – her woman-ness, that she was strong, and I wanted to honor that.”

Set Designer Nora Burnette says she created the set segments to mirror James’ life story. A set designer for BRG since 2016, she explained that her process of researching the scenario and the character serve as her inspiration for her design.

“I try to design a set as close to real life as possible so that the actress can deliver the performance sincerely,” said Burnette. “By creating the right setting, it helps the actors release the true essence of a character.”

The set brought the story to life and absolutely floored Marks. “Once Promise (Marks) saw the actual set, she understood my vision: ‘Wow, you get me. You get it,'” Marks told the designer.

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, Etta James, began her career in 1954 and gained fame with hits such “At Last” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.” She faced a number of personal problems, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album “Seven Year Itch.”

Co-producer and BRG Development Director, Sean Vaughn Scott, works with Overseer Production. According to producer Pamela Spikes, “Marks talent truly does Etta’s life story justice.”

Pam Jacobs of Hercules, a friend of Marks’ mom, Jackie Smith, said, Marks “was fabulous and sang all of those songs flawlessly.”

“I’m so proud of my daughter,” said Smith.

Marks, who has served as an instructor for BRG, will return on Feb. 21- 23 for an encore run of the musical.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the BRG (Black Repertory Group) family and continue our executive director Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott’s vision for the Black Repertory Group theater,” said Marks.

The Black Repertory Group Theatre is located at 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA 94703. For information, visit: BlackRepertoryGroup.com