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Britney Spears’ fate in battery case now lies with Ventura County district attorney

A man's torso shows a shirt with Britney Spears on it while he carries a Britney doll
Britney Spears’ misdemeanor assault case has moved on to the Ventura County district attorney.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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Ventura County sheriffs have turned their battery investigation of Britney Spears over to the Ventura County District Attorney for a decision on whether to prosecute the pop star for the misdemeanor, Capt. Eric Buschow said Friday.

Spears was accused of battery earlier this month by one of her housekeepers, who said the singer — who is in the middle of an epic court battle over her conservatorship — struck her during an argument over her dogs.

Buschow said previously that the housekeeper contacted deputies in the aftermath of the incident, which allegedly occurred Aug. 16, and filed a report. He declined to discuss specifically how the housekeeper claimed Spears made physical contact but said the housekeeper showed no visible signs of injury.

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“It is routine for a matter like this to be sent to the DA’s misdemeanor unit,” Mathew Rosengart, the singer’s attorney, said in a statement Friday. “To its credit, the Sheriff’s Department has already acknowledged that the matter, even as alleged, involved an ‘extremely minor’ or ‘very minor misdemeanor, with obviously ‘no injuries.’ There was also no striking, and if this did not involve Britney Spears this never would have been reported at all.

Welcome, latecomers to Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle (and experts who want to test their wits). This Q&A will tell you all you need to know.

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“This remains overblown sensational tabloid fodder ...,” he continued. “Anyone can make an accusation but this should have been closed immediately.”

Sources told Page Six the day after the alleged incident that the dogs had been taken to a vet by Spears’ dog sitter earlier in the month and weren’t brought home. Spears called 911 on Aug. 10 to report “some type of theft” but changed her mind when law enforcement arrived at her house, according to Buschow.

The animals have since been returned to the singer, Page Six said.

Updates

2:26 p.m. Aug. 27, 2021: This post has been updated with a comment from Britney Spears’ attorney.

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