Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault likely to cause great bodily harm and of making criminal threats, both of which relate, of course, to that much reported fight between him and then girlfriend Rihanna after she found a text message from another woman on his mobile phone at a pre-Grammy party in LA back in February.
It is claimed that while driving home in a rented Lamborghini, Brown tried to force Rihanna out of the car by pushing her head against the passenger door window and punching her repeatedly in the face, before beating her unconscious in the street and fleeing the scene. Though presumably he managed all that without actually assaulting her or threatening her, given the R&B star's plea. Or perhaps he's denying that version of events.
Anyway, in case you've been asleep during all the coverage that followed the fracas, all you need to know is that a police photograph showing Rihanna's facial injuries was leaked to the press, Brown issued a statement saying that he was "sorry and saddened" by what had happened and that he was seeking counselling, and that Rihanna has not commented on the case at all, but her lawyer Donald Etra has confirmed that she will testify if called to do so.
Brown is due to return to court again in three week's time. If found guilty, he faces up to five years in prison.