Leaked Rihanna Photo Prompts Internal Investigation
A leaked photo of a beaten and bruised woman believed to be pop-star, Rihanna, has sparked an internal investigation at the LAPD.
Rihanna, real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was allegedly involved in a physical dispute with her boyfriend, Chris Brown, prior to the Grammy Awards show on February 8, 2009. Both Rihanna and Chris Brown canceled their scheduled appearances on the show after attending a party together earlier that day.
The picture, which depicts a young lady with bruises and cuts, was published at the celebrity gossip website TMZ.com. California law prohibits officials from identifying victims in domestic violence cases, so the victim in the photo hasn't been confirmed, but the woman pictured has the same tattoo as 21 year old Rihanna.
Officials believe that the photo could have been leaked by someone within the police department.
Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger said, "At this stage, it is reasonable to believe this is the type of photo taken in a police department domestic
violence investigation. We are obligated to protect the victims of domestic violence. The investigation will determine who had access and who
was present that day during the process. We will leave no stone unturned to identify who did this or to refute that this was a photo from the
Police Department."
The police chief said that any officer or department employee that was involved with leaking the picture would face disciplinary action and possible termination.
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