Bobby Brown Faces the Music in Court

By Todd Peterson

Monday November 25, 2002 12:00 PM EST

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Yahoo Buzz
• E-mail

Singer Bobby Brown's alleged past transgressions aren't going away anytime soon.

With wife Whitney Houston at his side, Brown appeared in a DeKalb County, Ga., courtroom Monday for a hearing to determine whether he'd be held responsible for charges stemming from a 1996 traffic stop.

Judge Wayne Purdom ultimately refused to dismiss the six-year-old charges against Brown, which included driving under the influence, speeding, failing to maintain a lane and not having proof of insurance, Atlanta's WXIA-TV reports.

Brown, 33, skipped the 1997 hearing at which he was to answer the charges.

Xavier Dicks, Brown's attorney, argued that the charges were too old and that the former New Edition singer would not be able to get a fair trial because "potential witnesses would be impaired," WBS-TV reports. The judge, however, disagreed.

The 1996 counts came to light earlier this month, when Brown was arrested on similar charges -- including marijuana possession, speeding, and not having a driver's license or proof of insurance. (Brown was jailed on the same day his wife sat down for a TV interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer.)

Brown was freed on $1,300 bond and was transferred back to DeKalb County to face the 1996 claims. He is now free on bond and a new trial for those charges is set for Jan. 21.

Meantime, Brown is scheduled to appear in Atlanta municipal court Dec. 12 to address the most recent counts against him.