By Tonya Whitaker
NDG Staff Writer
Singer Chris Brown has completed a domestic violence counseling program, The Associated Press reported Friday.
The 21-year-old R&B singer was required to take part in the program as part of his guilty plea to assaulting former girlfriend, singer Rihanna, in February 2009.
Brown has completed 581 hours of community service and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, all part of his August 2009 sentence. He is serving five years of probation for the assault on the pop singer.
According to The Associated Press, as a result of completing the required counseling, Brown will no longer have to appear in court every three months for progress report hearings.
However, Brown’s attorney Mark Geragos, asked Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg to lift the protective order because it makes it harder for Brown to attend award shows, for instance the 2011 Grammy Award ceremony slated for Feb. 13.
The order requires the singer to stay at least 100 yards away from Rihanna. Schnegg did not immediately amend the order because Geragos must work with Rihanna’s attorney, David Etra, on changes to the order.
The decision to modify the order will be filed in a court at a later date, hopefully before the Grammy’s ceremony.
Brown is nominated for three awards, while Rihanna received four Grammy nods.
Brown is slated to perform at the Beamers Club, 2443 Walnut Hill Lane, in Dallas on Feb. 5.
