Photo May Show Rihanna After Beating

(AP)  A photo that appears to be Rihanna's face with bruises, scratches and swelling from an attack allegedly at the hands of boyfriend Chris Brown was posted Thursday night by the celebrity Web site TMZ.

The close-up image shows a welt above each of the woman's eyebrows, marks on her cheek and around her lips, and general swelling. TMZ did not say how it obtained the photo, when it was taken or by whom.

Hours after the photo was posted, the Los Angeles Police Department launched an internal investigation and asked for the public's help in finding the person who leaked it. A police news release said the image "has the appearance" of one taken during a domestic violence investigation, and classified its release as a case of serious misconduct that could result in termination.

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Photos: Rihanna

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Asked earlier Thursday whether he could confirm the photo's origin, LAPD Officer Jason Lee said only that the department had not released images of the woman who accused Brown, and would not release evidence photos. A spokeswoman for the district attorney said all evidence related to the case was still with police.

Brown was arrested Feb. 8 and booked on suspicion of making felony criminal threats to a woman authorities have not publicly identified. A person familiar with the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity, confirmed that the woman was Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty.

The person said some of the injuries shown in the photo - specifically the marks on the woman's forehead - were consistent with the injuries Rihanna sustained.

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Photos: Chris Brown

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Prosecutors have asked police to provide more information before deciding what charges, if any, to pursue against Brown. Police have said the 19-year-old singer could face domestic violence charges if prosecutors think they are appropriate.

An Associated Press photo of Rihanna, taken before the party on the night of the incident, shows her with a tattoo of Roman numerals on her left shoulder; the TMZ photo shows the same numerals on the same shoulder. TMZ had previously used its site to debunk a manipulated image that depicted Rihanna with a black eye.

No public statement has been issued on behalf of Rihanna, who turns 21 on Friday. Email and telephone messages left late Thursday with representatives for both Brown and Rihanna were not immediately returned.

Brown released a statement on Sunday, which read in part, "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired." The statement, which did not mention Rihanna, said Brown was consulting with loved ones, his mother and pastor.

Brown's arrest came roughly 18 hours after he and Rihanna left a pre-Grammy party honoring music mogul Clive Davis. According to police, Brown and a woman were involved in an altercation in a car traveling through the upscale Hancock Park neighborhood shortly after midnight. Police have said the woman had visible injuries, and that Brown was gone from the scene when they arrived.

[niqua15]

THE POINT IS THAT CHRIS BREEZY TAGGED THAT ASS AND ****** HER **** UP. SO OH WELL I DONT LIKE RIHANNA ***** ASS ANYWAT

[ladiisav]

<bIG> All ya need 2 shut up beacause ya dnt kno da truth and what really happened....She deseverd every last one of them brusies..Adn her dum ass still wid hym...

[lafayette131]

I was beat by my boyfriend on the same night. He broke my nose, cheek, and other bones in my face. I hope that Rihanna is smart and gets out of the relationship. No one should ever have to go through this. A real man will never hit a woman. I am praying that she has the strength to get through this. I hope she stands up for other women like me that have been abused.

[ochimpa]

This is what you get when you run with the Gangsta wannabe's.

The brothers beat you to a pulp if you say or do anything they dont like.

Be careful what you wish for Ladies. If you want to marry a future inmate go with a gangsta wammabe bro. just dont ask for sympathy later, we will laugh at your stupidity.

[gctomajtom]

ATTN: Posted by rnbwprsm5

Your wrting stinks. Quit spamming all the forums with you stupid nonsense.

It's not art, it's just stupid.

Get a life.

[spinproof]

American Idol winner Fantasia sings about wanting a Hood Boy, Wife Beater! In the thug life this kind of behavior is acceptable, normal. Many women across all cultures don't think they have a "real man" if that man is not kicking their a s s! While this mentality is not wide spread, its out there!

[rsmik]

Gee, I hope she breaks up with him.

[jazz_jeff2]

The muppets that say the pic was photoshoped are talking through their backsides.
Does anyone with abrain seriously think TMZ or their lawyers are going to payout serious big money without knowing its source, legend and examining it to see if its real?
Stupid people need to kop-on!

The picture shows just how brutal one thick THUG was to a woman. This could be anyones child beaten up by a pure bred thug!

Hope he rots in jail.

[catmill]

This is so sad, these two are way too young be so serious. Rihanna should run for her life and never look back, this is not the first time this has happened. No one has the right to put their hands on you, Chris should have walked away. What's really upsetting is that surely their camps knew about this violatile relationship and did nothing.

[akakjb]

SRZ - give it up. You've spammed every thread with that garbage. I know it stinks but come on, spamming isn't going to make you any friends around here.
As for this mess, I suspect there's enough blame to go around here. Theres no excusing taking a swing and obviously losing it as bad as he did but I find it hard to believe that he did that without any provocation whatsoever. I like how one of the television stations ran the photo on their newscast to illustrate their story about how the network wouldn't be running the photo on the news. Great job there, guys. As bad as she looks in the photo, I suspect shes going to be looking perfect and hot on stage somewhere in the next few weeks.