Britney Spears will not face criminal charges after being accused of misdemeanor battery by her housekeeper.
via People:
The singer, 39, had been accused of slapping a phone out of her housekeeper’s hand during an argument on Aug. 16 regarding the veterinary care of Spears’ dogs. The housekeeper filed a report with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department for alleged misdemeanor battery, indicating damage to the phone’s screen protector. The employee had no visible injuries.
Misdemeanor Unit Supervisor Blake Heller reviewed the case; however, prosecutors declined to press charges against Spears based “upon insufficient evidence that a crime had occurred and the lack of injury to the housekeeper or significant damage to the phone,” according to a news release from the DA’s office.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Spears’ lawyer Mathew Rosengart said, “To its credit, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has now, not surprisingly, formally rejected the misdemeanor allegation against Britney Spears, which the Sheriff’s Department itself has acknowledged was a ‘very minor’ or ‘extremely minor’ incident, even as alleged, and there also was no striking and obviously no injuries.”
“As I have previously-stated, this was nothing more than sensationalized-tabloid fodder — an overblown ‘he said, she said’ regarding a cell phone. If this involved Jane Doe rather than Britney Spears it would not have been pursued or covered at all.”
“This should never have made it this far and we are glad the DA’s Office has done the right thing. Sadly, it is apparent that some have learned nothing from the past, and we sincerely hope the media and others will be more respectful of Ms. Spears in the future.”
TMZ previously reported that the incident occurred after the employee took Spears’ dogs to the veterinarian, and they argued about the animals’ well-being.
Though the animals were reportedly removed from Spears’ home, the pop star was “reunited with her dogs before the weekend,” a source told PEOPLE.
“Her dogs are a sensitive breed that often has health issues. She has gotten clear instructions about how to care for the dogs now,” the insider said, adding that “the housekeeper no longer works for her.”
#FreeBritney, but girl…take proper care of your dogs.
