milliondollarchamp 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 LOS ANGELES - The California Highway Patrol recommended Monday that actress-singer Brandy be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in a freeway crash that killed a woman motorist last month, a city attorney's spokesman told The Associated Press. The CHP referred the matter to the city attorney's office for review, said spokesman Nick Velasquez. "The office is currently reviewing the case and determining whether the evidence warrants the filing of a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter," Velasquez said. A message seeking comment from Brandy's publicist, Courtney Barnes, was not immediately returned. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail and a $1,000 fine, Velasquez said. Prosecutors couldn't say when they would make a decision about whether to bring a case. If charged, Brandy wouldn't necessarily have to appear in court and could have her lawyer enter a plea, Velasquez said. Brandy, whose real name is Brandy Norwood, has publicly expressed condolences to the victim's family, Barnes said last week. Barnes also has said Brandy wasn't under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. Brandy, 27, was driving a Land Rover on Interstate 405 on Dec. 30 when traffic slowed and her vehicle struck the back of Honda driven by Awatef Aboudihaj, 38, according to a CHP report. Aboudihaj's car hit another vehicle, slid sideways into the center divider and was then hit by another car, the report said. Aboudihaj died at a hospital from blunt-force injuries, according to the coroner's office. Brandy, who earned a Grammy in 1999, has made five albums. She began her recording career at 14 and acted for film and television, starring on the sitcom "Moesha" from 1996-2001 and most recently as a judge for NBC's "America's Got Talent." A message left with an attorney for Aboudihaj's family was not immediately returned Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 Rebecca Gayhart killed a child with her vehicle and got off easy. Brandy is a much bigger name...so who knows Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 One year + $1000 max? That seems kinda... light. But of course this is only a criminal case, not a civil one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 The state of California hold a celebrity accountable for their actions? Yeah right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 Since when was Brandy talked about anymore? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 I'm envisioning Brandy singing "Sittin' In My Room" while locked in a jail cell. BRILLIANT. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SuperJerk 0 Report post Posted January 29, 2007 Brandy, 27, was driving a Land Rover on Interstate 405 on Dec. 30 when traffic slowed and her vehicle struck the back of Honda driven by Awatef Aboudihaj, 38, according to a CHP report. Aboudihaj's car hit another vehicle, slid sideways into the center divider and was then hit by another car, the report said. Aboudihaj died at a hospital from blunt-force injuries, according to the coroner's office. Brandy was obviously not giving the car in front of her enough room if she couldn't hit bring her vehicle to a stop before hitting it, but the story doesn't mention how fast either Brandy or Aboudihaj was going at the time, or how Aboudihaj managed to spin completely out of control like this before her car was struck by the 4th car. It also doesn't mention whether or not the 4th car's behavior increased the likelihood of the crash in any way. So, yeah, there's some wiggle room to make it look like this wasn't entirely her fault. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted January 30, 2007 "when traffic slowed and her vehicle struck the back of Honda driven by Awatef Aboudihaj" She's obviously trying to recreate scenes from the new season of 24 to help get her career back on track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
milliondollarchamp 0 Report post Posted December 29, 2007 Brandy won't be charged in deadly crash. LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles city attorney's office said Friday it will not charge Brandy in a deadly December 2006 freeway crash. ADVERTISEMENT Spokesman Nick Velasquez said there is "insufficient evidence" for a jury to find the 28-year-old actress-singer guilty of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt. The decision runs counter to a recommendation from the California Highway Patrol that Brandy, whose real name is Brandy Norwood, be charged in the Dec. 30, 2006, crash. Brandy was driving on a Los Angeles freeway when traffic slowed and her Land Rover smashed into the back of a Honda. That car was involved in several other collisions. The driver, 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, died in the accident. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk 34 0 Report post Posted December 29, 2007 Thanks for being right up to date on this! I was getting worried. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted December 29, 2007 Thank God, I cannot imagine the idea of a celebrity being treated by the courts like any of us would. THANK YOU LEGAL SYSTEM! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2007 Thank God, I cannot imagine the idea of a celebrity being treated by the courts like any of us would. THANK YOU LEGAL SYSTEM! Hey, I'm all for treating everyone equally, but there is no malice behind this crime whatsoever. It's just a tragic accident. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ripper 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2007 If this was you or me we wouldn't have been charged when there was no alcohol and as earlier reports said, no Cell phone envolved. The car in front of her stopped short, she didn't react in time. Its a car accident. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2007 By the way, Rebecca Gayhart reportedly suffered from nightmares and other psychological disturbances from the time she ran over the kid, even to this day. I saw that on COPS one time too, where these guys tried to mug this other guy, but he was a martial arts expert and he beat one of them to death. He was really broken up over it. Apparently accidentally killing someone really wreaks havoc on your psyche. I've never had the pleasure of doing it myself, so I wouldn't really know, but that's what I hear. Too bad for Brandy. Sometimes criminal charges help to make you feel like you've served some penance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ripper 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2007 I saw this other episode of Cops where two guys tried to rob a guy and he was torn up over beating the shit out of one of them. He kept crying "But I didn't have to kick him like that..." Sad. I think her getting 5 different civil suits filed on her days after the accident might have softened the blow though. I mean, I understand that it was a life and all, but she got sued by her parents, kids, some other people and other shit all for this large amount of money as soon as they found out it was Brandy. That would piss me off even if I was feeling guilty and would really take the edge off that guilt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Chaos 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2007 I think in the Rebecca Gayheart case, the kid was jay walking, so it wasn't 100% her fault. I don't think celebrities should be given an easier time than anyone else, but it seems people go the other way and want to give them more than they deserve. Even when Paris Hilton went to jail, these statistics came out that said she did end up getting more jail time than the average person would for the same crime (most would have been out in 4-5 days) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2008 I love our justice system. Michael Vick kills a couple of dogs and gets 2 years in jail while Lindsay Lohan gets arrested twice for DUI and only gets ONE DAY in the slammer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites