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R&B singer Chris Brown agrees to complete more community labor

Singer Chris Brown (C) and his attorney Mark Geragos (R) are pictured during a probation progress hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles August 16, 2013. REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian/Pool

(Reuters) – R&B singer Chris Brown had his probation reinstated by a judge in Los Angeles on Friday after the Grammy winner agreed to complete an additional 1,000 hours of community labor stemming from his 2009 sentence for assaulting singer Rihanna.

Singer Chris Brown (C) and his attorney Mark Geragos (R) are pictured during a probation progress hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles August 16, 2013. REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian/Pool

Brown’s probation had been revoked last month by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin after he was charged in a May hit-and-run traffic accident, which could have led to a probation violation and possible jail time.

The charges in the hit-and-run case have since been dismissed.

In 2009, Brown was sentenced to five years’ probation, 180 days of community labor and domestic violence counseling for assaulting Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time.

Brown, dressed in a dark suit at Friday’s hearing, must complete the 1,000 hours of community labor before his probation ends on August 25, 2014. He has the option of highway cleanup, beach cleanup, graffiti removal, or general maintenance work.

The singer, 24, came under fire by the Los Angeles County Attorney’s office in February, when he was accused of cutting corners of his community labor sentence, which he was allowed to complete in his home state of Virginia.

The community labor involved tasks like cutting grass, picking up trash and removing graffiti.

Prosecutors alleged that Brown was not at the recorded location of his community labor and was instead performing or traveling, once on a private jet bound for Cancun, Mexico.

They also accused Virginia authorities of poor and incorrect management of the singer’s community labor and record keeping, arguing that the “Turn Up the Music” singer’s community labor case should be transferred to Los Angeles.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Sandra Maler)

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