Justin Bieber's pal Lil Za has been given extra time to decide on a plea in his vandalism case after prosecutors officially reduced his felony charge to a misdemeanour.

The count relates to the aspiring rapper's arrest in January (14), when he was taken into custody on drug allegations following a raid on Bieber's Calabasas, California mansion.

He was arrested for a second time hours later for breaking a telephone at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's jail, where he was being held before posting bail.

The phone incident earned him a felony vandalism charge, but during a court hearing on Wednesday (26Mar14), authorities announced they were reducing it to a misdemeanour count as the damage did not exceed the $400 (£250) threshold for the more serious category.

However, Za, real name Xavier Smith, did not enter a plea as the judge granted his lawyer Shawn Holley's request for more time to consider his options.

The case will now be heard on 30 April (14).

Bieber's house was targeted by cops as part of their ongoing investigation into an egging incident involving the pop superstar earlier this year (14).