Alexander Tamargo/Getty ImagesChris Brown may have just gained a collaborator, but despite his attorney's best efforts, has not yet managed to do away with his court case.
Seeking to have the singer's felony assault charges thrown out, Brown attorney Mark Geragos requested, and was subsequently denied, a postponement of his upcoming make-or-break preliminary hearing.
Geragos wanted a hold on the case, claiming the the leaked police photo of Rihanna's bruised face would compromise Brown's defense. He had requested access to records of the police's internal investigation, arguing that a pending California Supreme Court case could prevent him from obtaining them in the future (per current law, Geragos will only be allowed access to the records after the preliminary hearing he's trying his best to delay).
The California appeals court shot down Geragos' request without giving a reason, and the prelim, which will determine whether the case goes to trial and at which Rihanna has been subpoenaed to testify, is still on for June 22.
"If the preliminary hearing indeed goes forward, she is now legally required to be there, she will be there, and will answer all questions truthfully," Rihanna's attorney, Donald Etra, told People.
Meanwhile, Brown is keeping focused on his day job...
Hitmaking producer Scott Storch confirmed he will be reteaming with Brown for the embattled R&B star's forthcoming comeback effort and plans to hit the studio with his once and future colleague very soon.
"I will be going to work with him next week," Storch told Khloe Kardashian on the reality star's Khloe After Dark radio show.
"He's good. I'm working with him in Orlando on some stuff."
If it's anything like his old stuff, both Storch and Brown may be in luck.
Storch, who has cranked out hits for 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton—and sparked feuds with Timbaland, Christina Aguilera and Lindsay Lohan, previously paired with Brown on "Run It," the hit that first catapulted the 20-year-old to the big time.
Both Storch and Brown could use a similar success right about now. While Brown remains embroiled in court, Storch recently came clean about his own troubles, which include three years of cocaine abuse, an arrest for grand theft auto and legal troubles stemming from his failure to pay both child support and property taxes.
But that, he said, is all behind him. He's now ready and eager to get back to the business of making hit tunes.
"I am a wolf in the studio, and when I'm in there, doing it, the job gets done."
(Originally published June 10, 2009, at 12:10 p.m. PT)
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