Chris Brown Loses Bid To Delay Court Hearing

Chris Brown

Credit: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Brown lost a bid to delay a preliminary hearing in his assault case, which his attorney argued should wait for a related California Supreme Court decision.

Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, filed an appeal earlier this month to try to delay the R&B singer's preliminary hearing, now scheduled for June 22.

Two justices from California's Second District Court of Appeal signed an order Wednesday rejecting the arguments. The order did not give a reason why.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg last month rejected a bid by Geragos to get access to police records that the attorney argued were crucial to the hearing. Geragos' appeal states that a state Supreme Court case currently under consideration could affect Brown's access to the records and he was seeking a delay on those grounds.

Geragos argued that if the Supreme Court ruled defendants have access to certain police files before the preliminary hearing, as opposed to afterward - as is currently the case - then Brown could be subjected to "the expense and degradation of two preliminary hearings."

Geragos did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Wednesday. He has repeatedly argued that he should be able to see police personnel files, as well as records related to an investigation into the leak of a photo that appeared to show a bruised and beaten Rihanna.

Brown is accused of beating then-girlfriend Rihanna after a pre-Grammy party in February. Schnegg will decide at the preliminary hearing later this month whether there is enough evidence to continue the case against Brown.

Rihanna could be called as a witness during that hearing.

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