Singer Chris Brown is supposed to be arraigned for assault in Los Angeles this afternoon. Media is reporting that Brown’s lawyer Mark Geragos and the prosecutor in the case have been engaged in “serious” plea bargain negotiations. According to sources, they are close to making a deal.
Brown was charged with assaulting his girlfriend, fellow singer Rihanna, earlier this year. Rihanna reportedly does not want to testify – not unlike many, many domestic violence victims. She is currently in her home country of Barbados.
Most prosecutors have a “no drop” policy for domestic violence cases – refusing to dismiss charges just because a victim is uncooperative. Victims can be subpoenaed and forced to appear in court for testimony. The reality of “no drop” policies, however, is that they are difficult to prosecute if the only witnesses to the violence are the defendant and the victim. The victim’s uncooperative testimony can make it difficult to get a conviction.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens next.
