Chris Brown's Assault Case May Hinge on Leaked Photo of Rihanna

It's a case that shocked the world; two up-and-coming singers in a violent argument, and the woman gets beaten up. The man says she made him do it. The court case of Chris Brown is now beginning in California.

The outcome of singer Chris Brown's felony assault case may very well be decided on the leaked police photo showing a battered and bloodied Rihanna. Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos told the court Wednesday that he wants access to internal LAPD papers that will show how the damaging photo ended up on the celebrity website TMZ.com. If his motion is granted, Geragos may be able to show "misconduct and or bias" on the part of investigators which would then enable him to ask for a mistrial. Brown and his lawyers are involved in ongoing plea negotiations with prosecutors. Geragos is scheduled to return to court on May 28, and then both sides will appear for an evidence hearing eight days after that. Rihanna actually got some good news today. A judge agreed to a motion by her lawyers to release the $1.4 million worth of jewelry she was wearing the night of her alleged beat-down in February. The loaned out collection included a pair of gold hoop earrings and rings with stones in them. They are to be photographed by investigators to be used if needed as evidence at the trial. The 19-year-old Brown has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of assault and making criminal threats. The charges refer to a violent lovers' quarrel that Brown allegedly had with his girlfriend, Rihanna in a rented Lamborghini that ended with him allegedly pummeling, choking and biting her. Sources have told the Daily News that Brown is anxious to avoid any jail time and doesn't want to plead guilty to the felony criminal threats charge since it would be a "strike" on his record under California's Three Strikes law. Brown and the 21-year-old Rihanna were driving home from a pre-Grammy party when they began fighting over a provocative text message Brown received from another woman.