Lawyers for Chris Brown have filed papers at a Los Angeles court asking the city's police department to explain how pictures of a battered and bruised Rihanna ended up on the internet.

Brown is facing charges of felony assault and making criminal threats following an alleged altercation with Rihanna in a car in L.A. in February.

News of the alleged incident, which occurred just hours before the Grammy Awards, quickly spread online and a week later, celebrity gossip site TMZ posted a picture showing Rihanna with contusions on her forehead, a swollen nose and a bloody lip.

The picture sparked a public outcry and an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) into how the photo made it on to the internet.

And now Brown's legal team want an explanation - they have filed a motion asking officials at LAPD to provide all their information on how private details from the case were allegedly leaked on the net, according to TMZ.

Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, told Los Angeles County Court last week the charges against Brown should be dropped if it is proved that sensitive information was leaked.

Geragos said, "Leaks can form the basis for a motion to dismiss the case in regard to outrageous governmental misconduct."

Brown denies all charges. If convicted, he faces almost five years behind bars.

(by Daniel Melia)