Chris Brown tested positive for marijuana use and faces a hearing to determine whether he violated his probation for the 2009 assault on then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna.
The R&B singer was in court Monday for the first time in a year. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg was weighing the impact of his positive drug test and sorting through his community service and travel records to determine whether he has been complying with his five-year probation, according to The Associated Press.
Before he appeared in court, Rihanna sent him a tweet: “I’m praying for you and wishing u the best today!”
Brown responded with, “Thank u so much.”
Because Brown provided the judge with a medicinal marijuana prescription from California, Schnegg said the positive test result during a random drug screening in his hometown, Richmond, Va., where he had been ordered to complete his community service, may not have a major impact on his probation, AP reported.
But, she warned Brown to be mindful of his public image and his impact on young fans.
“You are not an average person who can sit in their living room and do what you want to do,” Schnegg said, noting that Brown’s mother was sitting in the courtroom. “You are not only in the public eye, but you are on probation. … which means that if you violate any laws or orders, then you’re subject to a probation violation.”
Schnegg ordered a probation violation hearing for Nov. 1, when it will also be determined if Brown violated the travel provisions of his probation with a trip to Paris.
The judge added that the community service logs from Virginia were “somewhat cryptic” and needed more review.
The Richmond police chief sent a spreadsheet to the judge, indicating Brown had completed 1,402 hours of community service by picking up trash, washing cars, painting and tending stables.
The judge ordered Brown to see his probation officer within the next three days and urged him to be careful.
“You should be mindful of obeying all rules of the courts,” Schnegg said.
In June, the singer was at the center of a bottle-throwing brawl that erupted at a New York City nightclub between his entourage and a group accompanying singer Drake. Neither entertainer was charged in the incident.
“A lot of people look up to you – a lot of kids. What you do and what you say impacts other people,” Schnegg said.
Asked for comment on Monday’s hearing, Brown’s rep referred ABCNews.com to the singer’s attorney, Mark Geragos, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Related articles
- Chris Brown Fails Drug Test, Judge Orders Further Probation Review (Details) (hiphopjuggernaut.com)
- Chris Brown tests positive for marijuana while on probation (canada.com)
- Chris Brown back in court, probation under review (music-mix.ew.com)
- Chris Brown tests positive for marijuana while on probation – Chicago Tribune (articles.chicagotribune.com)
- Judge seeks more review of Chris Brown’s probation (dawn.com)
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