Chris Brown pleaded not guilty on Friday, June 20, to attacking a music producer with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub two years ago.
Prosecutors claim that the controversial R&B singer, who is charged with attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm, perpetrated an “unprovoked attack” on Abraham Diaw in 2023.
Brown, 36, appeared in court in London as fans filled the public gallery to offer their support at the hearing.
The two-time Grammy Award winner — known for songs such as “Under The Influence,” “With You” and “Forever,” as well as a volatile relationship with ex-girlfriend Rihanna — was granted bail in May after promising to pay a $6.7 million security fee in order to begin his “Breezy Bowl XX” world tour.
Brown briefly spoke during the hearing, but only to confirm his name and date of birth and to deny the charge against him, telling the court clerk that he was “not guilty, ma’am.”
His trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 26, 2026. Brown was arrested at a Manchester hotel last month after his first return to the country since the alleged incident.
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As he left the hearing, supporters said, “We love you, Chris.”
Brown’s co-defendant and friend Omololu Akinlolu, a 38-year-old rapper better known by his stage name HoodyBaby, pleaded not guilty to the same charge during the June 20 hearing.
The pair were granted bail until their next court appearance on July 11, when they may be asked to enter a plea to a less serious charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Brown is also charged with having an offensive weapon — the tequila bottle — but was not asked to enter a plea during the hearing.
Chris Brown has long, complex history of legal issues
Brown has a complicated legal history that stretches back over a decade.
His May arrest came hours after Brown posted “Free Tory” on his Instagram story, a reference to friend and fellow rapper Tory Lanez, who was recently stabbed in prison as he serves a 10-year sentence for shooting at Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. And it comes months after Brown took legal action following the release of a documentary that explored his alleged history of violence.
In January, the singer-songwriter sued Warner Bros. Discovery and several others for their role in the production of “Chris Brown: A History of Violence,” a documentary film chronicling Brown’s alleged pattern of abuse. He is seeking $500 million in damages, alleging libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Chris Brown in UK jail on ‘bodily harm’ charge after alleged 2023 incident
But his brushups with the law date back even further. Brown’s star was heavily tarnished in 2009 when fans learned that he had assaulted then-girlfriend Rihanna on the night of the Grammy Awards.
Photos showing Rihanna bloodied and bruised after the attack were leaked to the public at the time, forever altering Brown’s reputation and kicking off more than a decade of legal troubles.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Edward Segarra, USA TODAY; Sam Tobin, Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Brown pleads not guilty to UK assault charge
