LAPD Investigating Rihanna's Bruised Face Photo

Fri, 20 February 2009 04:02:15 ET

LAPD is investigating whether a photo purportedly showing the bruised face of Rihanna was part of police evidence in the case.

The Los Angeles Police Department opened an internal investigation late Thursday (February 19) into whether a photograph purportedly showing the bloody and bruised face of Rihanna was part of police evidence in the case. The photo, posted by TMZ under the headline "Rihanna -- The Face of a Battered Woman", showed a woman said to be the "Umbrella" hitmaker with her eyes closed, a fat lip and apparent bruising to her forehead.

"The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence," the LAPD said in a statement. "A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination."

According to E! Online, the LAPD "immediately launched an investigation after its media relations department was inundated with press inquiries about the picture, which first surfaced on TMZ.com and which appeared to the cops to be a photo taken during an official domestic violence investigation." The police also encourage anyone knowing about how the picture got out in the first place to contact the department.

A law-enforcement source close to the Chris Brown investigation tells E! that the leaked picture was one taken by a detective when officers first arrived at the Hancock Park scene of the incident. The source added, "There was another set taken at the hospital where the swelling is even worse."

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