Chris Brown assault charge reduced in Washington

WASHINGTON - Singer Chris Brown and his bodyguard, who both faced a felony assault charge after a weekend altercation, managed to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanour Monday, officials said.

Brown, 24, is no stranger to run-ins with the law, and most famously so for assaulting former girlfriend, pop star Rihanna. He is still on probation for that 2009 case.

He and bodyguard Christopher Hollosy were facing felony assault charges, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said, after a scuffle outside a Washington hotel.

Monday, a judge reduced the charge in the latest case to misdemeanour assault. The judge told Brown to report to his California probation officer within 48 hours.

California authorities twice have filed probation violation charges against Brown this year. He was slapped with an additional 1,000 hours of community service work on his sentence for beating the Barbadian pop music star.

Brown was arrested in February 2009 after getting involved in a physical confrontation with Rihanna that left her with a bruised and battered face.

The Virginia native was required, after pleading guilty in court to the assault, to take part in domestic violence counseling and sentenced to five years' probation and community service.