Nick Gordon, the late Bobbi Kristina Brown’s ex boyfriend, appeared in court on Sunday just a day after his arrest for alleged domestic violence battery against his girlfriend Laura Leal following an argument in Sanford, Florida, according to E! News.
Gordon had told authorities he never beat her and that he was the one who was “abused.” In court, the judge set his bail for $15,500, ordered him to wear a GPS monitor and to stay away from Leal. He is due to return in court on August.
According to the police report, Leal went to the station on Saturday and reported that Gordon “unlawfully commit domestic battery by hitting and punching her in the face and the back of the head with a closed fist.” Officers found him at a local club near the couple’s house and arrested him on domestic battery and false imprisonment charges.
“Gordon stated that he never hit his girlfriend because really cares for her,” the police report stated. “Gordon also advised that he is the one that was abused and punished. Gordon stated that Laura Leal hit and punched him repeatedly. Gordon stated that Laura Leal is not telling the truth and wishes to press charges on her.”
The report stated that Gordon and Leal got into a heated argument at home after watching the NBA playoff game at a sports bar.
“Leal advised that Gordon was upset because he thought she was trying to hook up with one of his friends,” the report declared. “Leal stated that she would never give Gordon a reason to be suspicious or jealous about being with another man. Leal stated her feelings for Gordon are real but added that the relationship was toxic. Leal says that Gordon wanted her to be honest about wanting to hook up with his friend, but Leal advised when she told Gordon she would never do that to him, he didn’t believe her.”
“Leal says that Gordon gave her an option to leave, but advised that when she tried to exercise that option, Gordon became upset and violent punching and hitting her and refused to let her leave,” the report continued. “Leal stated that while attempting to leave and communicate with her sister on the computer via Facebook, Gordon took the lap top computer preventing her from communicating with her sister. Leal advised that a few weeks ago Gordon smashed her phone so she had no phone, and says that Gordon then hid his personal cell phone in order to further prevent communication for help.”
Leal told authorities that Gordon “would not allow her to leave the apartment and continued to punch and hit her” and that “at some time after daylight,” she ran into his mother’s bedroom and “woke her up in an effort to get assistance.”
“It was then that Ms. Gordon saw the injuries to Leal and assisted in getting her out of the house and took her home,” the report stated. “Leal advised that her older sister, …met her at the house and transported her to the Sanford Police Department.”
An officer noticed injuries on Leal’s face and arms and told her sister to bring her to the ER. The officer took statements from both women and then Gordon was arrested.
E! News reports that Gordon’s arrest comes on the heels of a finding last year that he was legally responsible for the death of Bobbi Brown, who died nearly six months after being found unconscious in a bath inside their Georgia home, after her estate filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against him. He was ordered to pay more than $36 million to her family.
The $36 million includes $15 million for present value of life, $13.8 million for pain and suffering, and $1.37 million for assault and battery. The lawsuit had claimed Brown “died due to a violent altercation” with Gordon, “after which he placed her in a bathtub, unconscious, after he injected her with a toxic mixture.”
Bobbi, the daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston, died in July 2015 at the age of 22 after several months in a coma. She was discovered face down and unconscious in a bathtub in the home she shared with Gordon, whom she’d referred to as her “husband” on multiple occasions. Initially, their relationship made headlines since her mother informally adopted Gordon when he was a child and the two had grown up together.
He denied any accusations and was never charged with a crime. Her estate later filed a $50 million wrongful death civil lawsuit against him.
