BRANDY - CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP SUPPORTS BRANDY

LATEST: R+B star BRANDY has received support from civil rights leaders in Los Angeles as she prepares to fight a possible manslaughter charge after being caught up in a freeway pile-up. Black rights groups fear the singer is being made an example of as Los Angeles City Attorney ROCKY DELGADILLO (corr) decides whether or not to file misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter charges against her, based on a recommendation from California Highway Patrol officials. NAJEE ALI, the leader of Project Islamic HOPE, has come out in support of Brandy, who was involved in a freeway collision on 30 December that left one woman dead, insisting the singer is being used as "a political trophy". She tells news website TMZ.com, "They are unfairly targeting her for prosecution because of her celebrity." Ali is organising an online petition, hoping to put pressure on the City Attorney.