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For the Record: Due to concerns from readers, we have moved the photo below the LAPD press release and replaced it with a different photo. Thank you for participating in the comments section about this issue and please continue to do so. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Early Thursday evening, TMZ released a leaked photo taken of Rihanna immediately after her altercation with Chris Brown in which he allegedly beat her. From the picture one can see that Rihanna's whole face is extremely swollen with two huge bruises on her forehead, a busted lip and what looks to almost be a broken nose. If reports of the abuse are true, Chris Brown didn't simply get upset, yell at and shove his girlfriend. No, he full on beat the crap out of her, making the beautiful songstress hardly recognizable. Unfortunately, with the degree of the injuries, one can assume this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
So what's next? The Los Angeles County district attorney's office is in the midst of collecting evidence to build a case against Chris Brown, according to L.A. Now. They ordered the LAPD to continue investigating claims of domestic violence and making criminal threats, then they will move forward on pressing charges. According to the police, Rihanna is working in full cooperation with the authorities.
Although news of this domestic dispute garners much attention because of the celebrity couple involved, the truth is domestic violence occurs on a daily basis. The LAPD website claims every year, “in the United States there are over 3 million incidents of reported domestic violence." In those cases, “95% of assaults on spouses or ex-spouses are committed by men against women.” Sadly, every year “4,000 victims of domestic violence are killed.” No one wants to be abused, nevertheless have to admit it. If cases of abuse are not being reported and investigated, the vicious cycle will continue to occur, leaving someone dead if not completely traumatized.
If you or someone you know is being abused by a spouse, family member or friend, seek help and call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-978-3600. They can provide referrals to domestic violence shelters where you can stay for thirty days, legal referrals and basic information on how to file for a restraining order.
The LAPD said the release of the photo was completely unauthorized and they are pursuing an internal investigation. The complete press release is below.
Unauthorized Release of Photograph
Los Angeles: The unauthorized release of a domestic violence photograph immediately generated an internal investigation.
At about 7 p.m. on February 19, 2009, the Los Angeles Police Department Media Relations Section began receiving numerous inquiries about the release of a photograph associated with a domestic violence incident that occurred on February 8, 2009, involving entertainer Chris Brown. The photograph appeared on an entertainment website. The photograph has the appearance of one taken during an official Domestic Violence investigation.
The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence.
The Department launched an immediate internal investigation and subsequently filed a personnel complaint.
A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination.
Anyone with information concerning the unauthorized release of the photograph is asked to call, during regular business hours, (213) 485-4152. After-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to our 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “CRIMES” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web Tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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Ummm, I don't know if I actually need to see this.
I agree with db... why is this photo being splashed everywhere and advertised like crazy? Is there any public need? Its shit like this that keeps women from reporting domestic abuse.
Pretty disappointed that so many sites are showing this and boasting about it to gain hits. TMZ, of course, are total scumbags for plastering their logo across her face, as if obtaining the pic is something to be proud of.
Well then, that was a quick way to end a music career.
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN.
Chris Brown better have a good attorney and Jesus on his side.
I seriously mean Jesus, the Son of God, has got to sweep down from his business in heaven and pull off a divine intervention to keep Brown from getting a seriously justifiable conviction.
and a seriously justifiable ass kicking.
decapitate him and throw him in the ocean
What I don't understand is why so many women will put up with this. If I remember correctly she wasn't even willing to cooperate with police about this.
Years ago when I was a resturant mgr. I used to have female employees come in looking like that. I'd offer to transfer them to another resturant, encourage them to file a restraining order, try help them get a new start away from the abuser, and they'd go right back to them. More than once I even got threatened by the abuser for trying to help.
Weird shit.
I think you reflect a fundamental misunderstanding about battered women and partners, and, unless you've experienced it yourself, it's hard to understand right off the bat.
The eternal "why didn't she just leave" question - well, my mom didn't leave because my dad repeatedly threatened to kill her or to take us (the kids) if we did, or if she reported the abuse. And the validity of this threat can't be overstated - I think a stat came out in 2005 showing that one-third of the women murdered in that year were killed at the hands of their partner.
Most women in this situation are financially dependent on their abusive partners, so feel that they can't leave, either for their own sake, or for the sake of the children. Other abused women don't leave because even if there is no explicit threat of death, the implicit death threat is definitely there. And, as a practical matter, the abusive partner more often than not has complete control over every aspect of her life, including access to money and her social schedule. The psychological results of this is basically entrapment - even if there's an open door, she feels like she's trapped. The open door to her is not an open door, it's a "He's coming back at x time, I better have dinner on the table or he'll fucking beat me up again."
Finally, if the abused person has a history of violence within her own familly, then this type of violence has been completely normalized for her. Telling her that 1) it's wrong and 2) that she has the option to leave are really difficult, foreign concepts to convey.
I wouldn't be surprised if this picture results in fewer people coming forward to report their abusive partners. Gotta love our mainstream and non-mainstream media.
I understand a lot of what you're saying. I saw a lot of that first hand, I grew up in a household with an abusive father too.
What I've never understood as an adult who tried intervene, was hearing; "But I still love him!" or "But he promised he'd never to do that again!".
Eventually I retired the cape and stopped trying to help at all.
Ack, think my last comment didn't go through, so sorry if this pops up twice - to paraphrase, I totally feel ya. It is a very frustrating experience trying to get someone out of this situation. At least according to the handful of experts I know who work in this area of intimate partner battering and its effects, these women honestly do believe that they love their abuser, and exercise all sorts of self-deluded, psychological defenses to prop their belief that if they stay, it will get better. It helps them deal with the idea that if they do try to leave, they might die. Shrug. Such a fucking mindtrip.
Damn, I saw the statistic this morning and am trying to remember it. Something like 3 million domestic violence incidents a year in the US, 95% committed by men, and 4,000 domestic-violence-related murders.
It is weird shit indeed. Having grown up in an abusive household myself (like JRB [referencing jrb's comment below]) I too would see evidence and offer help. It was always rejected with plenty of excuses and whatnot. I not only retired the cape; I no longer express any curiosity when I see clear cases of abuse.
There are a lot of women that put up with that shit, I will not argue that - but there are a lot that walk out too. Guys are just less likely to have heard of that happening unless it happens to a female friend.
Its really upsetting how her privacy is being invaded. You can see the sadness and humiliation in her face- and yet everyone feels like its OK to post this image on their front page. Shame on LAist for sinking to TMZ levels. Discussing the photo is one thing (and a very important thing since domestic abuse is such a horrible problem), but posting it on your home page is another.
He jacked her up.
poor chris
He needs to be prosecuted and lots of therapy. She also needs a share of therapy in that this is the sort of guy she's attracted to.
Seriously? Your policy for victims of domestic abuse is that it's OK to post humiliating photos of them. Classy.
TMZ is pure journalistic shit and this is just another thing that proves it. They try to come off as respectful of celebs, but in the end will say/post anything to get higher ratings.
TMZ is pure journalistic shit and this is just another thing that proves it. They try to come off as respectful of celebs, but in the end will say/post anything to get higher ratings.
Very poor choice in posting the photo. Imagine if that was you, would you want your photo posted? You're rewarding the scumbag at LAPD who leaked it illegally. Does this compel other victims to report violence? LAist has stumbled to TMZ's level and it's sad.
Someone at LAPD is getting fired over this. Hopefully whatever they made from selling this picture they'll lose to legal fees when Rihanna sues them.
You stay classy, LAist. Enjoy your slide into TMZ territory.
Sorry, but you can't expect this entire ordeal NOT to be public. It's f'ing LA. If we can see a drugged up spears getting carted off in an ambulance on live local news, what did you expect to happen with rhianna??
Look on the bright side — this will help re-insure that Chris Brown goes to jail for a long, long time.
And this is the 18th comment...can someone say popular?
It was unfortunate and upsetting that TMZ got a hold of this photo and published it. However, once they did it became part of the story.
I first came across the story in a Chicago Sun Times sports blog post after stumbling upon this suntimes tweet. I was just as taken aback to see this at suntimes.com as some readers likely were to see it here.
However, LAist did not post this photo without context (as TMZ did). LAist advanced the story by providing the LAPD statement and providing background and context for this discussion. Yes it's tasteless of TMZ and God knows to what pathetic lengths they went to acquire the photo.
So there was no reason NOT to republish the photo alongside the story as opposed to sending the reader elsewhere to see it.
Don't blame the messenger.
At least run it post-jump. I had managed to avoid the photo - because I don't go to sites like TMZ.
What, exactly, do you gain by running it on the front page? Other, of course, than more hits from the outraged comments like this one.
Thank you, Andy and thank you to everyone else who opined either way on the photo issue. We decided to go with RMSpuler's comment (reply to commetn #20).
Yeah I wonder with something like this if it would be better to just provide a link to the photo on a separate page, so that if people want to look at it there they can click over to it, but if they just want to read this story then can do so without opening a page that actually includes the picture. That way you as LAist aren't profiting off of the publicizing of this..? (I'm not saying this in an accusatory way, just wondering if that's how it could be construed.)
I don't know..I know this is definitely a murky area. My guys instinct though is that taking it off the main page was definitely the right call.
*Oops, meant to write "gut instinct" in the last sentence above.
His carrer is far from over. He might not get a wheaties box anytime soon but he'll still be selling records. You all dont know how 12 year old girls think. They dont care about this shit.
Cannot believe LAist would sink to this level...
Back when I was a battered wife, I wanted people to see my face and/or pictures of the battering. Friends and neighbors refused to believe that "such a great guy" would do something like this! I had a hard time getting the cops to photograph me so I could use it to get a restraining order. Times have changed, but they`re likely to take both parties into the station now. People tend to believe that you must have done something to deserve it or he wouldn`t have lost his temper, which is not true in any cases I know.
Isn't the story behind this that it is a photo from a different domestic violence case that got leaked and that's why the LAPD is even more upset?