Rihanna May Testify Against Chris Brown

05/29/09 12:31pm

Rihanna will attend a June 22 court hearing where she could be ordered to testify in the trial of ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who allegedly assaulted her in February.

"Rihanna has always agreed to do whatever the law requires her to do," lawyer Donald Etra said in an MTV News report. "She is totally willing to testify if called to do so."

Brown, 20, pleaded not guilty last month to charges of felony assault and making criminal threats. He faces a maximum of 56 months in state prison if convicted.

Brown was the subject of a lawsuit earlier this week when a photographer claimed the R&B singer's bodyguards roughed him up at a Los Angeles gym where Brown was playing basketball on March 13.

Robert Rosen's suit claims he took a photo of Brown playing basketball and was then chased and assaulted by Brown's henchmen, and he fell down a flight of stairs while trying to escape. He wants compensation for his injuries and claims assault and battery, emotional distress and negligence.

Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, who's also representing the potentially future country artist in the Rihanna case, issued this statement about Rosen's lawsuit:

"This is a specious and frivolous lawsuit by one of the paparazzi seeking publicity and a payday. He’s done this before and lost. We will vigorously defend against this."

CNN reports Rosen tried to sue actor Pierce Brosnan under similar circumstances in 2007, but the suit was dismissed.