http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/13808882.htm

Posted on Tue, Feb. 07, 2006

Guitarist for Pink, others under arrest for alleged assault in LA

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Guitarist Rafael Moreira, who has worked with Pink, Christina Aguilera and others, was arrested Monday for allegedly beating a man at the music school where he teaches, police said.
Moreira was booked for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon following an assault at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, police Lt. Russ Wong said.

Wong said he didn't have details of the events that led to Moreira's arrest or the object used in the attack, but a witness said he saw the victim bleeding from the face.
"I just heard a commotion and came outside to see what was going on," said Kevin Campos, a student at the institute.

"I saw a guy with a bloody face. He went into the library to wipe his face, then he came back out and confronted Rafael. That's when I went to get security," Campos said.

A telephone message left after business hours with the school, and an e-mail sent to an address listed on Moreira's Web site, were not immediately returned late Monday.

Moreira, who graduated from the institute in 1998, is listed on its Web site as one of its "success stories." His profile notes he has toured with Pink as well as performed with Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Sisqo and Mya.
Moreira, who was born in the southern Brazil town of Cambara, also fronts his own rock band, Magnetico, and appeared on the CBS reality show "Rock Star: INXS."

ON THE NET
rafaelmoreira.com and mi.edu

• RE: Raphael of the House Band arrested,weltek, 03:12 PM, 02-08-06
• No charges laid,Loree, 02:06 PM, 02-22-06

You beat me to it!

Feb. 22, 2006, 9:10AM
No charges to be filed against guitarist in alleged assault

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Guitarist Rafael Moreira, who has worked with Pink, Christina Aguilera and other pop stars, won't face charges after a confrontation with a music student earlier this month.

There was insufficient evidence to bring charges against Moreira, Los Angeles County district attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

Moreira was arrested Feb. 6 for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly struck one of his students at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood with a guitar.

His attorney, Robert Hale, said Moreira was defending himself against an unruly student, adding the man attacked Moreira after the teacher criticized his playing. Hale said Moreira only used his guitar to fend the man off.

Moreira, whose native language is Portuguese, was so shaken up by the confrontation that he initially had trouble explaining to authorities what happened, Hale said.

"Rafael has always had faith in the district attorney's office that when they reviewed all of that facts he would be exonerated," Hale said in a statement issued Tuesday.

The guitarist, who graduated from the institute in 1998, is listed on its Web site as one of its "success stories." His profile notes he has toured with Pink as well as performed with Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Sisqo and Mya.

Moreira, who was born in Brazil, also fronts his own rock band, Magnetico, and appeared on the CBS reality show Rock Star: INXS.