Wednesday January 28
James Brown arrested for weapons, drugs

AIKEN, S.C., Jan. 28 (UPI) _ Soul singer James Brown has been arrested on charges of marijuana possession and unlawful use of a firearm.

Brown's arrest comes less than a week after he was released from a hospital where his agent said he was being treated for addiction to painkillers. Brown denies he was addicted and says his daughter hospitalized him against his will.

Police say they found marijuana and guns at Brown's Beech Island, S. C., home Jan. 15 when they took him to a hospital on the orders of a probate judge. He was not charged until Tuesday, when sheriff's officials asked Brown to turn himself in.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office says Brown was charged with two counts of unlawful use of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and one count of possession of marijuana.

If tried and convicted, Brown could be sentenced to two years in prison and fined $2,000 on each of the charges.

Brown was released and resumed rehearsals for an upcoming tour after appearing in Aiken County Magistrate Court. He later told the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle newspaper the charges had been dismissed. He said he smokes marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Brown told the newspaper: ``I have bad eyes. It was just a little tiny bit. It wasn't even a misdemeanor...it should've been in recorder's court.''

A sheriff's report says deputies seized a .30-caliber Winchester rifle and a .22-caliber semiautomatic handgun that were in plain view in Brown's home.

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