Chris Brown's Fate Up in the Air Amid Photo and Reunion Rumors

March 6, 2009 — -- Another problem may be looming for R&B singer Chris Brown.

A day after Brown was indicted for allegedly battering and menacing girlfriend Rihanna, the celebrity Web site TMZ.com said there are more graphic photos of the beaten pop diva.

Many of Brown's fans turned on him when a photo emerged of Rihanna, 21, with her face bruised and her lips badly swollen.

Rihanna may have made up with Brown, but it's not clear that Brown's fans will forgive him, particularly if more pictures come out.

TMZ.com head Harvey Levin said the unpublished photos are "shocking."

"There is a picture out there that was taken the day after the incident that is so incredibly horrendous that what I'm told is that he cannot survive his career if this picture gets out," Levin told ABC News.

"It is something he never, ever wants out there and that could be a big factor in this," Levin said.

Levin told "Good Morning America" that he doesn't have the photos, but they were described to him by sources.

Brown, 19, appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday to face felony charges, including making criminal threats that would result in death. If convicted, Brown could face up to five years in prison.

Rihanna was not present at the hearing, but her attorney Donald Etra said the singer did not want the court to impose any order on Brown that would force him to stay away from her.

"Rihanna opposes a 'stay away' order and requested that no such order be issued," Etra told the court.

People magazine reported last week that the two pop stars had reconciled after the alleged Feb. 8 altercation. Neither Brown nor Rihanna have commented on the report.

A legal analyst says that if the couple has reunited, it could undermine the district attorney's case against Brown.

"If the two have reconciled that poses some problems for the D.A.'s Office because you really do need the cooperation of the victim in order to successfully prosecute these cases," Dana Cole, ABC News legal analyst, said.

Court Appearance

Looking dapper in a three-piece, charcoal suit, Brown provided the judge with one-word answers and gravely nodded when told he must not "annoy, harass, molest, threaten or use force or violence against anyone" between now and his next court date on April 6.

A microphone caught snippets of a conversation between Brown and both lawyers before they left the courtroom.

Etra told Brown, "I think Rihanna would like this resolved as quickly as possible as well."

Brown responded, "I'm just a little confused on the terms ... how it's represented."

Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos stepped in and said, "I explained that the best thing that could happen in this case is that Don is involved. Didn't I tell you that before?"

Gruesome Details of Brown's Alleged Beating of Rihanna

Details of Brown's alleged beating of Rihanna became public when the court released a search warrant for the car the couple were riding in and for certain phone records. The warrant described a wild brawl in the rented Lamborghini as Brown continued to drive with his left hand.

Their Feb. 8 fight broke out after Rihanna read a three-page text message on Brown's phone from a woman, according to the affidavit that accompanied the search warrant obtained by ABC News. An argument ensued and Brown tried to force Rihanna out of the car but was unable to because she was wearing her seat belt.

Brown then shoved Rihanna's head against the passenger window of his rented Lamborghini, causing a one-inch raised circular contusion, according to the documents.

CLICK HERE to read the police documents.

When Rihanna turned to face him, Brown allegedly punched her and then continued punching her while driving. The alleged assault caused her mouth to fill with blood and splattered blood all over her clothing and the interior of the car.

According to the documents, which identify Brown's accuser as "Robyn F." (Rihanna's real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty), Brown then told her, "I'm going to beat the s--- out of you when we get home. You wait and see." Rihanna countered by calling an assistant's phone and saying, "I am on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there."

After that, according to the documents, an enraged Brown warned Rihanna, "You just did the stupidest thing ever. I'm going to kill you." He allegedly continued punching Rihanna, who attempted to text message another personal assistant Melissa Ford. Brown snatched the phone out of her hand and threw it out the window of his car.

When Rihanna attempted to take Brown's cell phone from his lap, he placed her in a headlock and bit her ear -- all while continuing to steer the car with his left hand, according to the documents. He eventually stopped the vehicle and Rihanna removed the key from the ignition and sat on it, hiding it from Brown, who then allegedly began punching her in the face and arms again.

Brown put her in another headlock, according to the documents, this time applying so much pressure that she was unable to breathe and began to lose consciousness. She reached up with her left hand and attempted to gouge his eyes out, trying to free herself. Brown allegedly bit two of her fingers and then released her, only to continue punching her again.

Rihanna pushed her body against the passenger door and used her feet to push Brown away. Brown punched her feet and legs until she started screaming for help, at which point he exited the car and walked away, according to the documents.

A resident in the neighborhood heard Rihanna's cries and called 911. Once the police arrived, she was issued a domestic violence emergency protective order.

At approximately 1 a.m. Feb. 8, Brown called Ford as if nothing had happened, according to the police documents. Ford told Brown she had already talked to Rihanna and was aware of what had allegedly happened, adding that the neighbors had called police and that they were with Rihanna.

Brown asked Ford whether Rihanna told the cops his name; Ford said she had. Brown then hung up the phone and did not call back.

On Feb. 17, two days after issuing a statement through his press rep saying he was seeking help from a pastor, Brown texted Ford, apologizing for what he'd done to Rihanna and affirming he was getting help, according to documents.

Brown Faces Two Felony Charges

Early today, Brown was charged with two felonies, including assault and making criminal threats. The charges came after weeks of speculation about whether the district attorney would pursue the case. Brown remains free on $50,000 bail.

Unless a plea deal is worked out or the charges are dropped following Brown's April 6 arraignment, the next step will be a preliminary hearing (probably weeks from now) in which either Rihanna or a detective would testify.

If a judge finds probable cause at the preliminary hearing, Brown will be indicted. Alternatively, he could be indicted by a grand jury, but that would be unusual in this kind of case. If indicted, his case would proceed to trial.

Together, Brown's charges carry a maximum of 4 to 5 years in state prison, "but nobody ever gets that," Los Angeles defense lawyer Dana Cole told ABC News. More realistically, if convicted, he may be looking at 60 days in county jail and/or mandatory counseling, according to experts.

It will be a lot harder, but not impossible, to prosecute Brown without Rihanna's cooperation. A detective could testify on her behalf, or prosecutors could subpoena her to testify. It's common for women to refuse to cooperate in domestic violence cases: as much as 85 percent of alleged victims recant their stories, Cole said.

Rihanna and Chris Brown Back Together?

Despite the charges, it appears Brown and Rihanna may be together again, thanks to the apparent guidance of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.

People magazine reported this weekend that the two pop stars had reunited and reconciled at Diddy's mansion on Miami Beach's Star Island.

Photographers snapped pictures of Brown riding a Jet Ski and driving a car during the weekend. He and Rihanna reportedly flew back to L.A. early this week.

While Rihanna's dad, Roland Fenty, initially backed up his daughter upon hearing about her reported decision to get back together with Brown, he lashed out at Brown after learning about the charges against him.

"Justice can never be served in this situation; he can't feel the pain she felt," he told Usmagazine.com.

Additional reporting contributed by ABC News' Laura Coverson and Lauren Pearle.