Allegedly suffering with grief over the death of his former spouse, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown was arrested for DUI after he spent the preceding night drinking, as reported by the New York Daily News and other media sites.
Brown will be facing up to a year in jail if convicted.
Though Houston’s friends, notably singer Kim Burrell, claim than Brown made the decision to drink and drive because he was distraught over Houston’s death, Brown’s lawyer says it’s all an error – his client was driving erratically not due to drinking but because he was talking on his cellular phone before being stopped by police.
Sources told reporters that Brown allegedly “blew 0.12” percent in a breathalyzer test when he was pulled over for a traffic stop on March 26. The legal driving limit in California is 0.08 percent.
Brown, formerly a singer in the band, “New Edition”, was charged on March 28 with three misdemeanors by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office. Along with the charge for DUI, Brown was charged for driving with a suspended license.
Driving under the influence, and driving with a blood alcohol greater than 0.08, were merged into one charge against Brown for the purpose of a possible sentence.
City Attorney spokesman, Frank Mateljan, told reporters, “His total exposure is up to a year (in jail) and $1,000 for each count.”
In response, Brown’s attorney, Tiffany Feder said, “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and Mr. Brown was not driving erratically, he was speaking on his cell phone.”
Another source from Brown’s camp said that he had been drinking – the night before – and it was still in his system when he woke and got on the road the next day. The source also offered that Brown was told to attend an AA meeting – on the evening that followed his arrest.
Feder added, “Mr. Brown has not been convicted of anything associated with this incident. Mr. Brown is taking this matter seriously, and an investigation is underway. The legal process shall run its course.”
Though Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, is said to have felt “vindicated” by Brown’s arrest – she has long said that he is a bad influence on her granddaughter – Houston’s close friend, Kim Burrell, has expressed her support of Brown.
Burrell said, “I support Bobby, and he has my full 100% support to get better. He spent 17 years in a relationship and marriage with Whitney, so why wouldn’t he be going through some difficult times right now?”
Burrell reportedly spoke to Houston within a couple of hours before her death and sang at her funeral.
Burrell added, “He happens to be a public person who’s getting through a private moment, and the whole world is hearing about it. He’s coping, and unfortunately everything is raised up a notch because of Whitney’s death.”
Brown has a previous arrest for DUI in 1996 where his blood alcohol was three times the legal driving limit.
Contact a DUI attorney if you are facing charges that stem from a DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI. Only a DUI attorney has the experience you will need.