New witnesses come forward in Chris Brown iPhone theft case

The attorney for rapper Chris Brown has apparently "found" some new witnesses in the iPhone theft case against his client.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle said in a statement today that Brown's attorney has supplied her office with the names of additional witnesses.

“In our investigation of the Chris Brown incident, we have taken the statements of our local witnesses and have just finished discussing with the lead Miami Beach Detective the additional witness information supplied by Mr. Brown’s attorney Mark Geragos.

We now must interview these individuals, some of whom may be from out of state, just as we do in every criminal investigation in order to uncover the truth in its entirety.”

Back on Feb. 19, five witnesses told Miami Beach police they saw R&B star Chris Brown snatch a cell phone from a fan outside Cameo nightclub.

But instead of arresting Brown, police went to the State Attorney and asked for an arrest warrant and once that happened it "kicked the case into slow gear," the Miami Herald's Jose Lambiet reported last March 1.

From Lambiet's report:

“Police have the power to make an arrest at the scene when they have probable cause,” State Attorney Spokesman Ed Griffith said. “But once they come to us, it brings a whole different approach. We’re re-interviewing every witness.

“This is not because Chris Brown’s famous. It’s about handling every case equitably.”

“Why didn’t the police grow a pair and arrest him when the complaint was drawn?” a high-ranking State Attorney’s staffer said. “That’s how you do it.”