The explosive docuseries that revisited sordid allegations against Chris Brown has earned Warner Bros. a lawsuit. It's no secret that the superstar singer's illustrious career has been fraught with controversy. He entered the industry as a teen with a voice that captivated audiences worldwide, and since then, has amassed a dedicated, global following that is reserved for the music elite. His accolades speak for themselves, as do his dozens of awards, but scandals have been prevalent throughout his tenure in the music industry.
In October 2024, Brown was at the center of an Investigation Discovery docuseries that highlighted a slew of allegations. "This is the story of an iconic—accused, convicted—celebrity," cue cards in the trailer for Chris Brown: A History of Violence read. A voiceover alleged he was a serial abuser, and now Brown is biting back by filing a defamation-libel lawsuit against Warner Bros. to the tune of $500 million according to Rolling Stone. The suit, which was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, slammed the docuseries for perpetuating what they claim was a show filled with untruths.
Chris Brown's Attorneys Clap Back
In the court documents, Brown and his legal team accuse the ID network and Warner Bros. of “promoting and publishing false information in their pursuit of likes, clicks, downloads and dollars and to the detriment” of the singer. It also added that they ran with the series despite “knowing that it was full of lies and deception and violating basic journalistic principles.”
Within the episodes, several women detailed alleged abusive interactions with Brown, including a woman who would only be identified as Jane Doe. She claimed that the singer raped her in 2020 on Sean "Diddy" Combs' yacht, something that Brown has vehemently denied through his attorneys. “To put it simply, this case is about the media putting their own profits over the truth,” reads the lawsuit. “They did so after being provided proof that their information was false, and their storytelling ‘Jane Doe’ had not only been discredited over and over but was in fact a perpetrator of intimate partners violence and aggressor herself."
Jane Doe's Lawsuit
Doe first sued Brown in 2022, adding she endured emotional distress. She claimed that while on Diddy's yacht with Brown, she began to feel ill. The anonymous accuser says she began to feel lethargic, almost as if she couldn't move. In A History of Violence, Doe said that she and Brown went to another area of the yacht where he allegedly raped her before saving his number in her phone. Surprisingly, Doe and Brown continued communicating for months. Then, she stated she began therapy, where she revisited the incident. In the docuseries she added, “I know it for a fact. Instead of telling myself that it wasn’t. It was. It was rape."
Although Breezy has faced several allegations of sexual assault throughout his career, the lawsuit notes that none of those accusations have materialized in a conviction. “Mr. Brown has never been found guilty of any sex related crime," it reads. "But this documentary states in every available fashion that he is a serial rapist and sexual abuser.”
A History Of Court Battles
Undeniably, Brown's most significant legal woe came in 2009 following his domestic violence incident with then-girlfriend Rihanna. A History of Violence covered this altercation as well, where the "SOS" hitmaker was physically abused by Brown during the Grammy Award weekend 16 years ago. As a result, the "Loyal" singer was convicted of felony assault and sentenced to five years probation. Further, Brown was ordered to complete six months of community service.
Additionally, in 2017, Brown was once again in court following alleged threats he made against former girlfriend Karrueche Tran. She claimed that when they broke up, Brown demanded she return gifts that he gave her during the course of their relationship. When she refused, Tran said the singer became upset. “I can get my money back and I’m tired of playing games,” Tran claimed Brown told her. “B*tch I will beat the sh*t out of you," she also stated, claiming he threatened to make her life "hell." Although there wasn't a conviction against Brown in this case, Tran was granted a five-year restraining order against the R&B crooner.
There have also been several allegations of physical assaults, but Brown's attorneys insist he has worked diligently at "redeeming" himself. "Mr. Brown has grown from those experiences, and his evolution speaks for itself," his recent lawsuit also shows. "This new production ignores that growth, choosing instead to repackage stale accusations while amplifying them with demonstrable falsehoods."
Destroying His Reputation
"This case is about protecting the truth," Levi McCathern, Chris Brown's attorney, told PEOPLE. "Despite being provided with evidence disproving their claims, the producers of this documentary intentionally promoted false and defamatory information, knowingly disregarding their ethical obligations as journalists." He added, "Their actions undermine not only Mr. Brown's decade-long efforts to rebuild his life but also the credibility of true survivors of violence."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Investigation Discovery issued a statement this week regarding the half-billion dollar suit. “We stand behind the production and will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit," they said. In addition to the defamation allegations, Brown is also suing for emotional distress and intentional infliction. He is seeking a jury trial.
