Bobby Brown Pleads Not Guilty in DUI Case
Singer Bobby Brown has pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence as well as driving with a suspended license.
The "Being Bobby Brown" star was not in attendance for Monday's Superior Court arraignment in Van Nuys, Calif., but his lawyer, Tiffany Feder, was on hand to enter the not guilty pleas for her client.
Brown, 43, was pulled over on March 26 in Los Angeles by the California Highway Patrol for talking on his cell phone while driving.
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After being pulled over the ex-husband of the late Whitney Houston failed a sobriety test with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At Monday's court hearing Brown was also banned by Superior Court judge Rebecca Owens from drinking due to his history of substance abuse.
"Mr. Brown is not to consume anything of an alcoholic nature," Owens said.
Although Brown's lawyer attempted to argue against the alcohol ban, Owens determined to keep the ban in place.
"It is a standard condition in this court when a defendant has this type of profile, and he is under a lot of stress at this point. It looks like your client has had a history (using) substances when under pressure. So it is going to remain," she added.
Last month, the singer was formally charged with two DUI-related counts and for driving with a suspended license. If convicted on the three misdemeanor counts Brown could spend up to six months behind bars.
Despite Brown's history of substance abuse, Feder maintains that her client is innocent and told the court on Monday that Brown's blood alcohol level was not "excessively high."
"Everyone is innocent until proven guilty and Mr. Brown was not driving erratically. He was speaking on his cell phone. Mr. Brown has not been convicted of anything associated with this incident. Mr. Brown is taking this matter seriously, and an investigation is under way," Feder told reporters in March.
"The legal process shall run its course," she added.
Brown is set to have a pretrial hearing on May 16.
