Chris Brown Avoids Jail For Keeping Illegal Pet Monkey

LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer Chris Brown reached a plea deal to avoid jail time for keeping a capuchin monkey at his Los Angeles home without, prosecutors announced Wednesday. He'll have to pay $35,000 to cover the cost of caring for the capuchin monkey at a primate rescue.

The 30-year-old singer was charged last year with a pair of misdemeanor counts of possessing the monkey between Oct. 31, 2017, and Jan. 3, 2018, without a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Authorities prepared a search warrant to raid his home after several people reported he had the monkey when he posted a picture of his young daughter, Royalty, holding the baby capuchin monkey on social media, TMZ reported earlier this year. Brown avoided the police raid by voluntarily surrendering the monkey he named Fiji.

In court Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner H. Elizabeth Harris ordered Brown to enter a six-month formal diversion program, under which the charges will be dismissed if the singer does not violate the agreement by possessing any other non-permitted animals.

If he does commit any violations, he could face jail time and fines.

The capuchin monkey has been placed in a specialized retreat for primates by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Brown's attorney, Blair Berk, said Brown has already paid the $35,000.

Harris scheduled another court hearing for June 6, when the case is expected to be dismissed barring any further violations by Brown.

The incident is just Brown's latest run-in with the law. Brown was arrested at his Encino home in 2016 following a day-long standoff with police, and he was arrested that same year after allegedly pointing a gun at a model. This year, a woman sued the singer, alleging sexual assault.

He's been accused of punching a photographer in 2017. Brown was also arrested in 2009 for a domestic violence case involving his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna.

City News Service