Chris Brown Due In Court Again Over Rihanna Beating

Chris Brown would have the world believe his 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna is far enough back in his rearview mirror that it should haunt him to no longer.

It's nice that he believes that.

Among others, a Los Angeles prosecutor believes objects in that mirror are apparently closer than they appear. The U.K.'s Independent reported Monday that the Grammy-winning R&B star is due back in a courtroom to answer some questions about just how many mandated community service hours he actually completed to atone for what has to be the most costly beating he's ever dished out.

On the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards, Brown managed to beat and bite Rihanna repeatedly, leaving her looking unforgettably like she'd just gone a few rounds with Floyd Mayweather, not a dime-store Usher. In lieu of jailtime, Brown got off with mandatory counseling and six months' worth of cleaning up graffitti, picking up trash along roadsides and other manual labors. The court ordered an audit of his probation his past July, and he'll appear in court today to answer concerns.

Brown hasn't remained completely on the right side of the law. He and rapper Drake are alleged to have instigated a bottle-flinging June barroom brawl between both stars' respective entourages that has led to lawsuits against both stars over injuries that bystanders sustained. San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker required eye surgery as a result of the fight and nearly missed joining France's Olympic basketball squad for the 2012 games in London.

What's even more crucially at stake here?

Think of all that posturing and all those chip-on-my-shoulder tantrums he's thrown anytime anybody has dared bring that incident up. Recall how, after his 2012 Grammy performances and even his Grammy win were greeted with uncomfortable displeasure that he was even there, Brown tried to actually hold himself up as a "role model."

Got all that? Good.

Now, think back to Rafael Palmeiro indignantly denying in front of Congress that he'd ever used performance-enhancing drugs during his career, then pissing hotter than a lit match and becoming the talk of "SportsCenter."

Remember that? That's what awaits Brown if it turns out he flaked on Probation he was lucky to receive in the first place.