Chris Brown charged with assault on Rihanna

Singer Chris Brown appears with attorney Mark Geragos in the Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles, March 5, 2009.

Singer Chris Brown was charged Thursday with felony assault and making criminal threats in what prosecutors say was a Grammy-eve attack on his girlfriend, the pop star Rihanna.

Brown, 19, appeared briefly in Los Angeles Superior Court but did not enter a plea to the charges. His arraignment was postponed until April 6.

Wearing a gray suit, white shirt and tie, the rising R&B singer stood emotionless, answering only "Yes ma'am" to the judge.

The judge issued an order barring Brown from "harassing, threatening or using force" against anyone. But the singer was not ordered to refrain from contact with Rihanna, with whom he reportedly has reconciled.

Los Angeles prosecutors said Brown attacked Rihanna, 21, late on the night before the February 8 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

He could face up to four years in prison if convicted. It was unclear whether Rihanna, who was not in court Thursday, would testify against him.

Both singers pulled out of scheduled performances at the February Grammys, and a photo of Rihanna's bruised and battered face was leaked onto the Internet.

"GREAT BODILY INJURY"

Barbados-born Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is identified in the complaint only as "Robyn F." She had not previously been identified by police as the victim.

The formal charges accuse Brown of assaulting Rihanna "by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury" and threatening to commit a crime "which would result in death and great bodily injury."

According to a search warrant affidavit filed by police detectives and released to the media Thursday, the couple argued in a car after Rihanna read a lengthy text message from another woman on Brown's phone.

According to the documents, Brown tried to push Rihanna from his rented Lamborghini but failed because she was wearing a seatbelt.

Brown then shoved Rihanna's head against the passenger window and repeatedly punched her in the face, spattering blood in the car and on her clothing and filling her mouth with blood, the affidavit said.

During the beating, Rihanna left a message for an assistant to have police waiting for the couple at home, prompting Brown to tell her: "You just did the stupidest thing ever. I'm going to kill you."

According to the documents, Brown continued to punch Rihanna, bit her ear and finger and put her into a headlock.The charges were filed a week after Brown and Rihanna, who dated for about a year, were reported by celebrity magazines to be back together again.

Brown broke onto the Billboard charts in 2005 at the age of 16 with his single "Run It!" and sold 2 million copies of his self-titled debut album.

Rihanna also released her debut album in 2005 and had a number one hit single with "S.O.S" less than a year later. She followed with three more number ones: "Umbrella," "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia."