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Oprah to Rihanna: 'He Will Hit You Again'

But 'she hit me first,' Brown claims

By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 9, 2009 7:16 AM CDT

(Newser) – As Chris Brown tries to negotiate a misdemeanor plea, Oprah Winfrey spoke to battered girlfriend Rihanna through her show Friday, telling the battered singer, “If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again.” An expert on her show compared Brown to OJ Simpson, the New York Daily News reports—and warned he could kill Rihanna, adding that the alleged choking is especially telling: “It's hands on, face-to-face. It's a very intimate type of violence.”

Meanwhile, TMZ cites sources who say Rihanna hit Brown first, slapping and striking him “numerous times” while he was driving—and he’s using that information to wiggle out of a felony plea. Brown doesn’t want to do jail time, and his team consulted with legal experts who said Rihanna’s aggressiveness—which is apparently cited in the police report—should downgrade Brown’s charge to a misdemeanor.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Rihanna arrives at the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 7, 2009, left, and in this undated photo provided by TMZ, Rihanna is shown after she was beaten, according to TMZ. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles and TMZ)

Chris Brown stands in a courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles Thursday, March 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Pool, Bob Chamberlin)

Rihanna and Chris Brown perform at the Z100 Jingle Ball 2008 at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Dec. 12, 2008 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

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If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again. - Oprah Winfrey

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Mad

Mar 10, 2009 2:51 AM CDT

Alotta effort to keep an abuser as your spouse. Brought kids into it too, hmmm? That's just great

jaguarj

Mar 9, 2009 7:48 AM CDT

Oh p-u-l-e-e-z-e..what a whimpy ass!

Guest

Mar 8, 2009 9:17 PM CDT

when i first got with my husband, he was brutal to me on a couple of occasions. i was not raised that way nor, did i ever witness such a mess. but, we stayed together and six years later we are married and have two children. i live a normal life. he does not control me and has never laid another hand on me. it took loss of his freedom , money and me to get it through his head.

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Celebrity • Crime & Courts • Entertainment

celebrity trials • domestic violence • felony • misdemeanor • plea bargain • assault • Rihanna • physical abuse • Chris Brown

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Oprah to Rihanna: 'He Will Hit You Again'