Chris Brown Is Leavin’ Las Vegas, Authorities Launch Investigation Into Rihanna’s Awards Show Eye Patch

Chris Brown has moved out of his Las Vegas suite and will be staying with his mother, Joyce Hawkins. Whether he’s moving back to her home in Virginia or staying with her elsewhere isn’t clear. His family has also come forward to defend Chris’ actions.

His cousin, Phylicia Thompson, insists Chris is not a violent young man and that he must have been “provoked” into viciously beating his girlfriend, Rihanna: 

Chris was not brought up… to beat on a woman. It had to be something to provoke him for Chris to do it (sic). He wouldn’t have done it just to be having fun. Yes, he’s done something wrong, because he put his hands on her (Rihanna), but you don’t know what happened. He had to be provoked to do it. Everybody loved Chris… This comes as a surprise to me.

People who are loved can commit acts of domestic abuse, too. People who are polite, people who are intelligent, people who are well-dressed, people who seem patient or loving or thoughtful can commit horrible acts of violence against others. We’re wondering, at this point, why Chris’ legal team allow his friend and family members to continue speaking out to the media and making their client look unremorseful and irresponsible.

Investigators, meanwhile, are looking into whether an injury that required Rihanna to wear an eye patch to the 2008 American Music Awards may have been caused by Chris:

We’re investigating if her eye injury could have been caused by Brown. There could be an innocent explanation – but police believe Rihanna has previously refused to make a (police) complaint against Brown. She is now being asked about her previous injuries and is beginning to open up about incidents in their relationship.

The picture above shows that she was also photographed the same night without the patch, so we’re not exactly sure where authorities intend to go with this. At the time, Rihanna said she wore the patch due to a scratched cornea. In any case, it seems like Chris Brown’s image as a clean-cut, sweet young man has become completely unraveled. 

Chris Brown Leaves Las Vegas to Meet Up With Mom [E! Online]

Brown Camp Speaks: Cousin Phylicia & Aunt Christine [Bossip]