Trial Ordered for Singer, Girlfriend in New Assault Case : Violence: Woman testifies at hearing that Rick James and Tanya Anne Hijazi beat her at a West Hollywood hotel.

Singer Rick James and his girlfriend--who are scheduled to go on trial next month on charges that they sexually assaulted a woman--were ordered Thursday to stand trial on new charges that they assaulted another woman.

James, 44, and Tanya Anne Hijazi, 22, will be arraigned Jan. 13 in Van Nuys Superior Court on charges that they beat a 34-year-old West Hollywood woman Nov. 2 after she joined them in a hotel room at the St. James’s Club in West Hollywood.

James and Hijazi are each charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury, false imprisonment and sale or transportation of cocaine. James also is charged with kidnaping.

James, whose real name is James Ambrose Johnson, lives in the Hollywood Hills above Studio City. He is best known for his 1981 hit “Super Freak,” and was once known as the King of Funk.

James remained in custody in lieu of $750,000 bail. Bail was set at $175,000 for Hijazi, who also remained in custody.

During a half-day preliminary hearing Thursday in San Fernando Municipal Court, Mary Sauger testified that James asked to meet with her at the St. James’s Club to discuss a recording label he had recently established.

Sauger said she met James and Hijazi in a room on the 11th floor of the hotel about 10 p.m. on Nov. 2. They soon began arguing, she said, and she felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave. She said she entered an elevator to go to the lobby, but somehow ended up back on the 11th floor of the hotel, where Hijazi was waiting for her.

Hijazi persuaded her to stay, and they began talking about performers going on tour, and relationships that often develop. Hijazi suddenly became angry and began slapping her repeatedly, Sauger said.

Sauger said that James then began slapping her. She lost consciousness, revived after water was thrown on her, and James again slapped and choked her, Sauger said.

“I couldn’t breathe,” said Sauger, who sobbed through most of her two-hour testimony. “I thought that was it.”

She said that James then walked her out of the room and down some stairs to another room on the eighth floor. She said James went to sleep, and Hijazi then gave her money to take a cab home.

Sauger said she did not immediately notify police or seek medical attention, even though her left eye was swollen closed and her right eye nearly closed. She testified that she did not go to a hospital until after talking with an attorney two days later, who advised her that she could seek civil damages against James.

After she was treated at the hospital, doctors notified police because of the nature of her injuries.

Sauger also testified that she wanted the criminal proceedings dropped, and would seek to resolve the matter through civil litigation. However, Deputy Dist. Atty. Myron Jenkins said he would not drop charges because of the similar charges already pending against James and Hijazi.

In that case, the couple are charged with aggravated mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, torture, false imprisonment and forced oral copulation. Trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 19. They face life imprisonment if convicted on all charges.

The alleged victim testified in a preliminary hearing in September, 1991, that, after a week of nonstop drug use and at least two occasions of consensual sex two months earlier, James became angry with her and accused her of stealing some of his cocaine.

She said he ordered her to undress, tied her to a chair and beat her and burned her legs and stomach with a heated kitchen knife and cocaine pipe.

She said he then forced her to have oral sex with Hijazi while he watched, and then all three had sex.

James and Hijazi deny the allegations and accuse the woman of seeking publicity and money from James. The woman has filed a $15-million civil lawsuit against James.

Jenkins said he will seek to consolidate both cases.