Facing the possibility of more than four years in federal prison if convicted on the felony charges of assault and making criminal threats against girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown is reportedly ready to cop a plea in the case.

According to TMZ, Brown, 19, would make a deal from prosecutors, but only if the two felony charges are bumped down to misdemeanors and he does not have to serve any jail time. The site reported that Brown's lawyers have consulted with a number of other unnamed legal experts who have said that Rihanna's own alleged "aggressiveness" takes the case out of the felony category.

Other unnamed sources told TMZ that Rihanna, 21, was the first one to strike, allegedly slapping and striking Brown "numerous times" while he was driving, after she saw what has been reported as a three-page text message from a woman with whom Brown had previously had a sexual relationship. Attorneys for Brown and Rihanna could not be reached for comment at press time. On Friday, Rihanna's lawyer told MTV News that the singer would testify in the case if subpoenaed.

On Thursday, Brown was charged in the case — which stems from an incident that occurred on February 8. Court documents, including a police report, emerged earlier on Thursday, revealing graphic details about the alleged assault. According to the report, Rihanna suffered bruises and contusions on her face, arms and legs, as well as bite marks on several fingers and an ear.

She may have been fighting back, but according to TMZ, the most graphic photos of Rihanna's injuries have not yet been made public and "demonstrate Brown's superior strength," weakening his case for making it a misdemeanor. Also, because Brown reportedly had no significant injuries, it could be hard for his side to argue that Rihanna was also striking him. The site also quoted unnamed sources as saying that Rihanna also told police that Brown had beaten her before and that the violence had been escalating.

The site alleges that, according to notes filed by the detective in the case in the search warrant papers, Brown sent a text message to Rihanna's assistant, apologizing for what he had done to Rihanna and said he was getting help. That evidence would be admissible in court, TMZ reported, and could be "extremely damaging" to Brown's case, as it could amount to a legal admission of guilt. Brown appeared in court on Thursday, but did not enter a plea in the case, which was continued until April 6.

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