As the world mourned the loss of the legendary musical artist, Whitney Houston's, homegoing service on Saturday, February 18 at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, a dispute was brewing within. Inside the 300 seat sanctuary of the singer's private homegoing, Whitney's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, arrived with 9 people in tow. Walking past his ex-wife's golden casket with his head lowered and clearly distraught, Bobby Brown sat on the front row with his family, described by reporters as an "entourage" in hopes of being close to his daughter Bobbi Christina. Brown was shortly thereafter seen outside the church awaiting his transport and visibly upset. Stories began to swirl about Brown and his "entourage" being asked to leave the funeral.
Shortly after leaving, Brown issued the following statement to the press:
"My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi-Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene."
A source close to Whitney's family tells a different story. The source told CNN under anonymity that Brown was invited with seating for two guests but instead he showed up with 10 people and sat on the front row in the family section,
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"The family approached Bobby and told him that he could stay in the area reserved for family, but that his guests would need to move to a different section to make room for Cissy (Houston) and the rest of the family," the family friend said. "Bobby said no."
When Brown refused, the family asked police to intervene. Police asked Brown to move again and he bailed out of the service.
There always seems to be two sides to every story and in this case, with emotions on everyone's sleeve during this very sad occasion, each side shares contradictory accounts of what happened. One thing holds true to both stories. Brown was reserved three seats in the small church and he arrived with 9-10. No matter the occasion, you simply cannot put 10 people into seating for 3. So was Brown wrong to leave or should he have cooperated with security and moved his guests to a different row?
Brown says he was disrespected and wanted to be treated with the same dignity afforded to his wife when she attended his mother's funeral in December. Right or wrong both sides of this family are obviously hurting deeply over their loss. Prayers are needed.
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| Bobby Brown leaving Whitney Houston's Homegoing. Was he asked to leave? Photo courtesy of CNN. |
Shortly after leaving, Brown issued the following statement to the press:
"My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi-Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene."
A source close to Whitney's family tells a different story. The source told CNN under anonymity that Brown was invited with seating for two guests but instead he showed up with 10 people and sat on the front row in the family section,
.
"The family approached Bobby and told him that he could stay in the area reserved for family, but that his guests would need to move to a different section to make room for Cissy (Houston) and the rest of the family," the family friend said. "Bobby said no."
When Brown refused, the family asked police to intervene. Police asked Brown to move again and he bailed out of the service.
There always seems to be two sides to every story and in this case, with emotions on everyone's sleeve during this very sad occasion, each side shares contradictory accounts of what happened. One thing holds true to both stories. Brown was reserved three seats in the small church and he arrived with 9-10. No matter the occasion, you simply cannot put 10 people into seating for 3. So was Brown wrong to leave or should he have cooperated with security and moved his guests to a different row?
Brown says he was disrespected and wanted to be treated with the same dignity afforded to his wife when she attended his mother's funeral in December. Right or wrong both sides of this family are obviously hurting deeply over their loss. Prayers are needed.
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