
The 'Under the Influence' hitmaker is taking Warner Bros. to court, accusing the network of defamation over 2024 documentary 'Chris Brown: A History of Violence'.
- Jan 22, 2025
AceShowbiz - Chris Brown has filed a multimillion-dollar million lawsuit against Warner Bros., alleging that the network's 2024 docuseries, "Chris Brown: A History of Violence," defamed him by falsely portraying him as an "abuser."
In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in California's Superior Court for Los Angeles County, Brown's legal team argues that the documentary, which featured multiple women detailing their alleged experiences with the singer, "put their own profits over the truth."
"This case is about the media putting their own profits over the truth," the lawsuit states, adding that the network aired the documentary "knowing that it was full of lies and deception and violating journalistic principles."
One of the accusers featured in the documentary, identified as Jane Doe, alleged that Brown sexually assaulted her in 2020. Brown's attorneys vehemently deny these claims.
The lawsuit highlights that Doe's own credibility has been called into question. "This woman had previously been discredited as an alleged 'perpetrator of intimate partner violence and aggressor herself,' " the filing states.
Furthermore, the lawsuit points to a 2022 lawsuit filed against Brown by Doe, which was later dismissed after evidence emerged that exposed her "dishonesty."
The lawsuit also includes alleged screenshots of a restraining order Doe's boyfriend filed against her in 2021, claiming she physically assaulted him, threatened him with a knife, and harassed him online.
"After being put on notice that their documentary contained false claims and violated journalistic professional standards, Defendants persisted in releasing this Documentary," the complaint claimed.
Brown's attorneys argue that the documentary has severely damaged his career and reputation. "Mr. Brown has worked hard at 'redeeming' his reputation over the past decade," the lawsuit states. "This new production ignores that growth, choosing instead to repackage stale accusations while amplifying them with demonstrable falsehoods."
Brown was convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. He has since sought to rebuild his career and image.
"This case is about protecting the truth," Brown's attorney, Levi McCathern, said in a statement. "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."
"Their actions undermine not only Mr. Brown's decade-long efforts to rebuild his life but also the credibility of true survivors of violence," McCathern added.
Brown is seeking $500 million in damages and a jury trial.