Chris Brown is officially heading to trial after pleading not guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm during a court appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday, June 20.
The 36-year-old R&B artist stood before the court just after 10 a.m. local time, where he entered his plea alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, a Dallas-based rapper and producer. The charge stems from an alleged assault on music producer Abe Diaw at a London nightclub in early 2023.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on February 19, 2023, at a nightclub in Hanover Square, London. Diaw subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against Brown in October that same year, claiming he was assaulted during a confrontation at the venue.
The criminal case progressed over the following two years, leading to Brown’s arrest on May 15, 2025, at a hotel in Manchester. Authorities later released the Grammy-winning singer on bail, which was set at a staggering $6.7 million. Despite the charges, Brown has remained active professionally, continuing with his Breezy Bowl tour, celebrating two decades in the music industry.
The night before his court appearance, Brown took the stage before a sold-out crowd in Cardiff, Wales, showing no signs of slowing down amid mounting legal challenges. Fans in attendance reported no mention of the case during the show, with Brown focusing on his performance.
Now, with a formal plea entered, legal proceedings will continue. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for July 11, 2025, with the full trial expected to begin on October 26, 2026.
Until then, Brown will remain free under bail conditions, though it remains unclear whether his touring schedule will be impacted as the court dates draw closer. His legal team has yet to make a public statement following the plea.
Brown, who has had several prior run-ins with the law—including the widely publicized 2009 assault case involving then-girlfriend Rihanna—has long been a controversial figure in both legal and entertainment circles.
This latest case adds to a complex legal history, though his ongoing fan support and continued commercial success suggest his career may weather yet another legal storm, pending the outcome of the trial.