Love Pleads Not Guilty to Assault Charge

Courtney Love (search) pleaded innocent Friday to a felony assault charge for allegedly attacking a woman with a liquor bottle at her ex-boyfriend's home in April.

The mercurial rocker, wearing a long black dress, was composed in court, responding to Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Dennis Mulcahy's questions with "yes" or "no." Outside, she appeared shaken while talking with reporters.

"I'm scared. It's scary," Love said. "I just want to play music, and being in that court and having a judge say 'the state of California versus me,' it's just scary."

A preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 7.

Mulcahy issued a bench warrant for Love's arrest July 9, her 40th birthday, after she failed to appear for an arraignment. The rocker went to a New York hospital that day for treatment of a gynecological condition, and was later transferred to a treatment facility in Connecticut, one of her lawyers, Michael Rosenstein, has said.

Love later surrendered to police and was freed on $150,000 bail.

On July 27, Love was sentenced to 18 months in a drug rehabilitation program after pleading guilty to being under the influence of a controlled substance — a misdemeanor charge connected to an alleged break-in at the same ex-boyfriend's home last fall.

Separately, Love faces a Sept. 30 trial on felony charges for illegal possession of painkillers. And in New York City, she faces charges for allegedly striking a fan with a microphone stand at a club in March.

Love, the widow of Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain (search), was formerly the lead singer of the band Hole. She had to delay a concert tour with her new band this year because of her legal problems.