Chris Brown Pleads Not Guilty To Assault Charges!

LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts) - R&B superstar Chris Brown has apologized for the Feb. 8 incident. The 19-year-old was charged with allegedly punching, choking, and biting Rihanna before the Grammy Awards. His lawyers are told to return to court April 29 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

"Not guilty," Brown, 19, said softly, barely audible in the court Monday afternoon when asked for his plea to one charge each of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and making criminal threats.

Donald Etra, lawyer for Rihanna said there were ongoing plea negotiations between Brown and prosecutors. "I believe there are efforts by all of the parties to resolve the case expeditiously and fairly," he said. "My client recognizes that it's not up to her to decide what kind of deal she wants - that's up to the district attorney to decide.
She believes that the quicker this case is over the more quickly she can get back to her life and her career, which is exactly what she wants to do."

'We really thought that a deal was on the horizon. It would have made all of this end more quickly, and allowed everyone to get on with their lives,' a source close to Rihanna said.

Rihanna, 21, is spending time with her family in Barbados and is in "fine spirits."