On Monday, Sept. 8, prosecutors dropped an assault charge against Justin Bieber that stemmed from an alleged December 2013 scuffle involving a Toronto limousine driver.
The now-dropped charge was in connection with an early-morning incident that allegedly occurred on Dec. 29 last year, when Bieber and five other individuals were picked up by a limousine from a Toronto nightclub. Police claimed that the 20-year-old Canadian pop star hit the limo driver several times on the back of the head, the Associated Press reported.
Prosecutors decided to withdraw the charge after they determined that there was "no reasonable prospect" of obtaining a conviction.
"The police have completed their investigation, having interviewed all the witnesses who were willing to speak to them, and having obtained all relevant surveillance videos and the 911 call," said Crown attorney David Mitchell said in court Monday, according to Toronto Sun. "There were a number of people in the vehicle seated behind the driver (Abdul Mohar) at the time of the incident and the Crown is not in a position to establish the identity of the person who came into contact with the complainant beyond a reasonable doubt based on the available evidence."
Investigating officer, Toronto Police Det. Robert McDougall, agreed with the prosecution's decision to withdraw the charge, added Mitchell.
"We welcome the decision of the office of the Crown Attorney to withdraw the charge, having reached the conclusion that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction," Bieber's Toronto attorney, Brian Greenspan said in a statement to E! News.
"We have always maintained Mr. Bieber's innocence," added Greenspan. "The withdrawal of the charge is the product of a thorough and thoughtful review of the evidence by responsible prosecutors. We thank them for their consideration."
Greenspan told a number of reporters outside the Old City Hall courthouse Monday, that Selena Gomez on-again, off-again was "relieved" by the prosecutors' decision. "He was obviously relieved because he has got a great deal on his plate with his busy career. He is delighted there's one less diversion in his life," Greenspan said.
The dismissal of the case comes just a few days after the "As Long You Love Me" hitmaker was arrested on a new assault charge in an alleged fight with a minivan driver near his home city in Stratford, Ontario, CNN reported.