Bobby Brown's friend: He's 'pretty hurt'

By Stephen Loiaconi

updated 3:30 PM EDT, Mon April 23, 2012

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Now Playing Bobby Brown's friend: He's 'pretty hurt'

A friend of Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown, told HLN’s Nancy Grace Thursday that Brown is “distraught” over the singer’s death.

“He’s taking it really hard,” Derrick Handspike said. “…He’s pretty hurt right now.”

In Handspike’s book, "Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth, Nothing But," The New Edition singer is quoted as saying that he never used cocaine until after he met Houston. Handspike confirmed that is what Brown told him.

“Whitney was her own person, you know,” Handspike said. “Whitney liked to party and have a good time too, I mean, just as well as Bobby.”

Handspike said he was also upset when he heard that Houston had died. “Devastated. Devastated,” he said of his reaction. “I mean, I couldn’t even believe it. It’s still really just registering now and sinking in.”

For in depth coverage of the investigation into Whitney Houston’s death watch Nancy Grace tonight at 8 & 10 p.m. ET only on HLN.

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