The state of Florida has dropped felony battery charges against singer Chris Brown, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The charges stem from an April 2017 incident at a Tampa nightclub in which Tampa police reported that the Loyal singer “sucker-punched” a photographer who was working at a private event hosted by Brown.
WATCH: Chris Brown allegedly punches photographer in Tampa nightclub
The alleged victim, Bennie L. Vines, claimed that Brown punched him while Vines was taking crowd shots of the club.
READ MORE: Chris Brown arrested for felony battery in Florida
Last July, Brown walked off stage after his concert in Florida and into the hands of waiting sheriff’s deputies, who arrested him on the felony battery charge and booked him into the Palm Beach County Jail.
Rolling Stone reports that court records confirmed the dropped charges, but the Hillsborough State Attorney’s office didn’t offer any details as to why the charges against the 30-year-old singer were dropped.
“After a thorough review of the facts and information from the alleged victim, our office determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute,” a spokesperson for the state attorney’s office told the outlet.
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Brown’s lawyer, Kevin Napper, told Rolling Stone the singer was “wrongfully accused.”
Napper added: “The state attorney conducted an extremely thorough, comprehensive and thoughtful review and analysis of the evidence (or LACK of evidence) and correctly concluded there wasn’t a crime here. Mr. Brown is appreciative of the state attorney’s professionalism and thorough review and looks forward to seeing his many fans in Tampa on Aug. 31.”
READ MORE: Chris Brown allegedly punches photographer in Tampa nightclub
This is not the only charge Brown has faced in recent years.
The Jealous singer was arrested in France in January then freed to leave the country without charges, pending further investigation of a woman’s allegations that he and two other men had raped her at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Paris. Brown called the accusation false and filed a defamation lawsuit against the woman.
WATCH: Singer Chris Brown reportedly arrested in Paris on rape allegations
Brown has a history of violent offences. In August 2016, he was investigated for a reported assault with a deadly weapon after his manager Michael Guirguis filed a lawsuit against the singer alleging assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith.
In 2014, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanour assault after punching a fan who tried to get into a photograph with him and two women. And in 2009, he was famously arrested after assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years’ probation and six months of community service for the crime.
WATCH: Chris Brown talks about how he felt like a ‘monster’ after beating Rihanna in new documentary
In April 2017, it was reported that Brown and rapper Lil Wayne were both tied to a federal drug investigation that reportedly involved thousands of dollars worth of narcotics.
—With files from the Associated Press
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