Chris Brown took to the stage in Nashville, Tennessee, just hours after appearing at Southwark Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to affray following a violent club attack.
Court appearance and performance
The 37-year-old singer, dressed in black leather and dark glasses, performed alongside Usher for their joint R&B tour. The court hearing lasted only a few minutes ahead of sentencing.
His guilty plea relates to an altercation at a Mayfair nightclub in 2023, where he struck a former friend twice over the head with a bottle on the dancefloor. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment.
Details of the attack
The Metropolitan Police described the incident as a "disgraceful, unprovoked assault." Brown was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Abraham Diaw and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. He had previously pleaded not guilty and denied having a bottle.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, in the early hours of February 19, 2023, Brown approached the victim on the dancefloor at Tape private members club and "struck the victim twice over the head with a glass bottle." Co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, known as rapper Hoody Baby, joined in the attack. The CPS added that the duo "continued their assault whilst the victim attempted to flee through the club" and that "the victim was kicked while he was seated defenceless on the floor."
Legal outcome and quote
Brown is due to be sentenced in October. His co-defendant also pleaded guilty to the same crime. Detective Constable Zara Ripamonti from the Metropolitan Police Service said: "This was a disgraceful, unprovoked assault that put a man in hospital. There is no place for serious violence like this in the London and I’m pleased these men accepted what they did wasn’t just completely unacceptable – but criminal. This has been a long investigation and we’ve worked with police colleagues in the UK to bring these two men to justice."
