Chris Brown pleads not guilty to assault charge in London
What's the story
American singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm during an alleged nightclub attack in London, England.
The 36-year-old entered his plea at Southwark Crown Court on Friday morning.
He was accompanied by Dallas rapper and producer Omololu Akinlolu, who is also facing the same charges.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 11, and the trial will begin on October 26, 2026.
Incident details
Assault charge stems from alleged brawl at Tape nightclub
The charges against Brown stem from an alleged brawl at the Tape nightclub in Mayfair on February 19, 2023.
Prosecutors claim that he chased producer Abe Diaw around the club and assaulted him with a bottle.
The singer was arrested by Metropolitan Police detectives on May 15 at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester after arriving via private jet for his UK tour dates.
Legal proceedings
Brown has been touring internationally despite legal proceedings
After his arrest, Brown was remanded to HMP Forest Bank in Salford and released on conditional bail six days later. As part of his bail agreement, he had to post a £5 million security deposit to ensure compliance with court conditions.
Despite the charges, Brown was allowed to continue his international tour. He recently performed at a sold-out show in Cardiff, Wales, and will continue touring while the legal proceedings are underway.
Previous charges
Brown's past domestic violence incident with ex-girlfriend Rihanna
In 2009, Brown was involved in a high-profile domestic violence case with then-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna. The altercation left Rihanna with visible facial injuries that required hospitalization.
He was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats in March 2009.
Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault on June 22 of that year and accepted a plea deal involving community labor, five years of probation, and mandatory domestic violence counseling.