Chris Brown has been released on $6.7-million bail after being arrested on May 15 and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent over an alleged nightclub altercation in 2023.
A British judge made the decision in Southwark Crown Court and revived Brown’s world tour, which was in limbo after another judge ordered him to be held in custody after he was charged last week.
Judge Tony Baumgartner said the 36-year-old singer could continue his tour, including several stops in the U.K., but would have to pay the $6.7-million bail to guarantee his appearance in court. Brown could be asked to forfeit the money if he breaches bail conditions, according to the BBC.
Brown’s bail conditions include surrendering his passport if he is not travelling on tour, living at a specific address known to the court, not contacting the alleged victim, not visiting the Tape nightclub where the alleged altercation took place and not applying for international travel documents.
Brown was initially scheduled to appear in court again on June 13. If he had been held until then, the Residuals singer would have missed at least two dates on his upcoming tour, the Breezy Bowl XX World Tour, which begins on June 8 in Amsterdam.
He has not yet been asked to enter a plea and he was not present at the U.K. courthouse when Baumgartner granted him bail on Wednesday.
Brown is accused of launching an “unprovoked attack” on producer Amadou “Abe” Diaw at the Tape nightclub in London in February 2023 while he was on tour.
Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said last week in Manchester Magistrates’ Court that Brown struck Diaw several times with a tequila bottle and then punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people.
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American musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name “HoodyBaby,” was also charged in the attack.
Brown and Akinlolu were both ordered to appear in court again on June 20.
The With You singer previously faced felony battery charges in another nightclub incident in 2017 in which Tampa police reported that he “sucker-punched” a photographer who was working at a private event hosted by Brown.
The alleged victim, Bennie L. Vines, claimed that Brown punched him while Vines was taking crowd shots of the club.
In July 2018, Brown walked off stage after his concert in Florida and into the hands of waiting sheriff’s deputies, who arrested him on the felony battery charge and booked him into the Palm Beach County Jail.
The state of Florida later dropped the charges against the singer in August 2019, but the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office didn’t offer any further details.
“After a thorough review of the facts and information from the alleged victim, our office determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute,” a spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office said at the time.
Brown’s lawyer, Kevin Napper, told Rolling Stone the singer was “wrongfully accused.”
Napper added: “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 Aug. 31.”
Brown has a history of violent offences. In August 2016, he was investigated for a reported assault with a deadly weapon after his manager Michael Guirguis filed a lawsuit against the singer alleging assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith.
In 2014, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanour assault after punching a fan who tried to get into a photograph with him and two women. And in 2009, he was famously arrested after assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years probation and six months of community service for the crime.
In April 2017, it was reported that Brown and rapper Lil Wayne were both tied to a federal drug investigation that reportedly involved thousands of dollars worth of narcotics.
Brown, often called by his nickname Breezy, burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005 and has become a major hitmaker over the years with notable songs such as Run It, Kiss Kiss, and Without You. He won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E., then earned his second gold trophy in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year.
— With files from The Associated Press
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