Soul singer James Brown arrested

Singer taken into custody, charged with unlawful use of firearm, marijuana possession

Web posted January 27, 1998

South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- Soul singer James Brown was arrested Tuesday on drug and weapons charges, nearly two weeks after police found marijuana and guns at his Beech Island home.

Mr. Brown has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, according to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office found the marijuana and guns at Mr. Brown's house Jan. 15, when sheriff's deputies took him into custody on a probate judge's order as a ``mental transport.'' He eventually was admitted to Charter Rivers Behavioral Health Systems in Columbia and stayed six nights.

Asked why it took investigators 11 days to arrest Mr. Brown, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Michael Frank said, ``I don't have an answer for you.''

Sheriff's officials informed Mr. Brown of the charges Tuesday and asked him to come to the sheriff's office to be charged, said Lt. Frank.

``We knew where we could probably find Mr. Brown, and we really wanted to make it as convenient for all parties involved as possible,'' Lt. Frank said.

Mr. Brown surrendered at the sheriff's office about 2 p.m. Tuesday. He later appeared in Aiken County Magistrate Court and was subsequently released.

Magistrate Court officials could not be reached for comment regarding the conditions of Mr. Brown's release. Lt. Frank said he wasn't sure if Mr. Brown had posted bail or was released on his own recognizance.

A telephone message left at the home of Sheriff Howard Sellers was not immediately returned Tuesday night.

Both the weapons and drug charges against Mr. Brown are misdemeanors. He faces a minimum of a $2,000 penalty or up to two years in prison for each of the two weapons counts and one drug count, Lt. Frank said.

Deputies seized a .30-caliber Winchester rifle and a .22-caliber semiautomatic handgun from Mr. Brown's home, according to a sheriff's report. The guns, along with some spent shells, were in plain view of the deputies, Lt. Frank said. Deputies also confiscated marijuana at the house.

After being released from Aiken authorities Tuesday, Mr. Brown and his band spent the afternoon rehearsing for an upcoming tour at Studio South on Peach Orchard Road. In a few days, Mr. Brown plans to travel to the West Coast to begin preparation for the world tour.

In an interview Tuesday evening at T-Bonz restaurant on Washington Road, Mr. Brown dismissed the charges against him and said he smoked a small amount of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

``I have bad eyes,'' he said. ``It was just a little tiny bit. It wasn't even a misdemeanor -- it should've been in recorder's court.''

Although Mr. Brown has been convicted of a felony, he said he keeps ``plenty'' of guns at his Beech Island home. In 1991, he was released from a South Carolina prison after serving three years for assault and weapons convictions.

``That was a long time ago,'' Mr. Brown said, shrugging his shoulders. ``I got to have protection. I have guns, and I'm gonna keep on having guns. Thank God it's a free country.''

Jeff Allen of Universal Attractions, Mr. Brown's agent, said earlier this month that the singer was admitted to Charter Rivers after becoming addicted to painkillers. Mr. Allen said Mr. Brown began using painkillers last year after suffering from a stage injury in Florida.

Last week, Mr. Brown denied he was addicted to drugs and instead blamed his daughter of hospitalizing him against his will after he become emotionally upset while watching a television program about South American children living in poverty.

``My daughter made a mistake. She should have just called me and asked if she could come over and check on me, but she called the police,'' Mr. Brown said. ``Then they came and asked me if I would go to the hospital, and I didn't want to say no.''

Mr. Allen was out of the country Tuesday and could not be reached, his secretary said.

Jack Bart, owner of Universal Attractions, said he wasn't aware of Mr. Brown's arrest when contacted at his New York office.

``No comment -- just shocked,'' Mr. Bart said. ``Then again, nothing surprises me in life anymore.''