'Saddened' Chris Brown Seeking Counseling

Feb. 16, 2009 — -- A week after allegedly beating and bruising his pop-star girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown finally released an apologetic statement Sunday via a representative that also discounted media reports claiming he'd commented about the incident on Facebook.

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person," Brown said in the statement released Sunday evening.

"Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong," the statement said. "While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

While Rihanna has yet to speak out about the alleged fight, her father, Ronald Fenty, said that Brown hit her in an interview with People magazine Saturday.

Describing Rihanna's current condition after seeing her Thursday, Fenty said, "There is some bruising. She will be all right. I think so."

"At some point, she will speak out. I hope she will stand up for women all over the world," he said.

Before the Grammys, Brown was considered a triple threat. He sang hit songs ("Kiss Kiss," "Forever"), danced circles around the competition (with moves comparable to those of Usher and Michael Jackson) and made inroads into the acting world ("The O.C." and "Stomp the Yard.")

He was thought to be more of a Jonas Brother than a Lil Wayne or a young Jay-Z. He doesn't sing about a gangster past; he doesn't rock blinding quantities of bling.