You write, "Which very likely means Rhianna knows it was mutual, and won't be a cooperative witness for the prosecution"

But here you don't state why, if it was "mutual," that we don't have photos of Chris Brown's face in a mutual state of assault. Is it because there is no such evidence? And assuming why the victim of domestic violence takes a particular action is far from safe. Nicole Brown Simpson may have considered the violence between herself and OJ Simpson "mutual," and do you remember all the assertions of that prosecution that, when photos of Nicole assulted were presented, that both of them had been violent toward eachother? Nonetheless, there was never a photo of OJ Simpson with his face looking like Rihanna or like Nicole. There has never been a photo of Chris Brown released to the media demonstrating his mutual victimhood. Until such a photo is taken or released, your assertion of something "mutual" rests solely on your interpretation of events, and not on any physical evidence that demonstrates a "mutuality" of violence.

"So even if that had a good case to begin with, which the prosecution didn't, now they have no chance.

So, yea, good luck with that! I'll be waiting for that apology. Though you'll probably never understand why you were wrong.

And regarding anger management, you might want to see if there's classes for misguided faux outrage."

I just have to wonder if you have ever been a witness to a scene of domestic violence. Because I have been. And the assumptions that you draw from this case seem peculiar.

Bear with me, but to compare domestic violence to something very different:

In car accidents, there are studies that show that those who are in a car accident where they have made a mistake resulting in a serious accident even causing a death show less serious long-term depression than those who are in a car accident where someone literally jumped out in front of their car and they accidentally killed them. Why? Because the more control you have over a situation (even when your control includes making an "error") the less dehabilitated by depression--or a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness--you are.

So, based on the physical evidence, Chris Brown has less reason to be dehabilitated by depression because of this event.

He can be "saddened" by events (a disturbing distancing of language, I agree with others who have noticed this) but he does not have a reason to feel hopeless or helpless, because at least in his own mind he knows that he "can" do things differently next time--asuming that he goes free for this which may well happen--and he knows that if he does things differently, things "can" turn out differently. Whether or not this is true.

Chris Brown, particularly with his various media apologists, is in a position of physical and metaphoric strength.

Rihanna, physically smaller than Chris Brown, and a person who has received, from what I have read, "mutual" media criticism although she has not, based on physical evidence, committed "mutual" acts of violence, has little or no control over whether or not Chris Brown hits her again.

It may be as you and others assume, that he is not an abusive personality. He might, if she does not yell at him over photos on his cell phone, or if she does not "provoke" him, he might not ever do it again. This is possible. But whether Rihanna stays with him or not, she faces a bigger uphill struggle against depression and the loss of control over her own life due to what happened.

It's really easy to assume that people have an agenda if they don't agree with you, so I make a conscious effort not to do that.

But one last thing: I made the mistake of watching this video while I was at work. I had to leave work for a little while and go outside because I felt like I would throw up. I had to walk to chinatown (I work in san francisco) and breathe and look at the sky. I wish you and others would consider the comments you make and the reason you might have for making them. I'm glad I didn't read the comment section while I was at work.

We're going to need you in the new obama era. Thanks for your astute comments in the earlier blog about who the real celebrities might be this new age. I always felt that Obama does "get it" about the sort of humans that are a good example to humanity, and most of these are the ordinary unrecognized, unphotographed and barely celebrated human sort. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of these. I liked this very much. Hope you have friends to call there..and am guessing that you do!

you say in a few words what I couldn't say in two long, rambling posts. Hilarious. You have my respect, as ever.