U.S. singer Chris Brown says he still loves singer Rihanna, the former girlfriend he pleaded guilty to assaulting last February.

Brown, 20, was sentenced last week to six months of community labor and a year of domestic violence counseling after pleading guilty June 22 to felony assault. He was also placed on probation for five years and ordered to stay away from Rihanna, 21, for five years.

CNN quoted Brown as saying in a "Larry King Live" interview set to air Wednesday that, despite the circumstances, he still loves Rihanna.

The singer also admitted he is haunted by a widely circulated photo showing his ex's bruised and battered face after he beat her up during a heated argument in a car.

"When I look at it now, it's just like, wow, like, I can't believe that that actually happened," Brown said, adding he doesn't remember hitting Rihanna.

However, he also said he has every intention of complying with the sentence he received for doing so.

"They want me to pick up trash, remove graffiti," he said. "I'm a hard worker, it's something I'm willing to do."