R&B singer Evans on drugs charge

Faith Evans was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia

R&B singer Faith Evans and her husband have been charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana in the US.

They were arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday after police pulled them over for a suspected licence plate offence, a police spokesman said.

Ms Evans and husband Todd Russaw, a record executive, were released on bail for a further hearing on 11 February.

Ms Evans' lawyer said the charges were "ridiculous". Her hits include You Gets No Love and Soon As I Get Home.

These are absolutely ridiculous charges that authorities have levelled against Faith Vincent L Dimmock, lawyer

Police spokesman Captain William Lyons said the couple had been stopped in the Hapeville suburb of Atlanta at about 1950 local time on Tuesday (0050 GMT Wednesday).

Officers found a "minimal amount" of marijuana on both of them as well as cocaine residue on Ms Evans, Capt Lyons said.

Ms Evans' lawyer, Vincent L Dimmock, said the singer had not been in possession of any drugs.

"These are absolutely ridiculous charges that authorities have levelled against Faith," he said. "We believe that she will be vindicated completely of these charges when we get into court."

Ms Evans, 30, is the widow of the late rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as Notorious BIG.

She had a Grammy nomination for her duet Can't Believe with Carl Thomas, and recently appeared in the film The Fighting Temptations with Cuba Gooding Jr and Beyonce Knowles.