The state of Florida has dropped a felony battery charge against Chris Brown stemming from an April 2017 incident at a Tampa nightclub, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Brown was accused of sucker-punching the club’s in-house photographer, who was reportedly taking pictures of the singer, even though he’d been warned not to. The photographer, who suffered a split lip, later went to the hospital and pressed charges.
A “Florida pick-up only” warrant for Brown was issued in August 2017, meaning only local authorities could arrest him. The singer was taken into custody in July 2018 following a concert in West Palm Beach, Florida.
While court records confirmed the dropped charges, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office did not offer any details as to why the charges were dropped. In a statement, a spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office told Rolling Stone, “After a thorough review of the facts and information from the alleged victim, our office determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.”
In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Brown’s lawyer, Kevin Naper, said the singer was “wrongfully accused,” adding, “The State Attorney conducted an extremely thorough, comprehensive and thoughtful review and analysis of the evidence (or LACK of evidence) and correctly concluded there wasn’t a crime here. Mr. Brown is appreciative of the State Attorney’s professionalism and thorough review and looks forward to seeing his many fans in Tampa on August 31.” Brown is scheduled to perform at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida August 31st.
The dropped battery charge is the latest in a string of legal issues for Brown, who released his ninth LP, Indigo, in June. The singer, who famously pled guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend Rhianna in 2009, was arrested in Paris in January after being accused of rape by a French woman; days later, he filed a defamation lawsuit against his accuser.
Brown — who has faced immigration issues in countries like Australia and the U.K. due to his criminal record — was sued in May 2018 by a woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted by two of the vocalist’s associates during a February 2017 party at his home.