Chris Brown has announced plans to sue Warner Bros and the production company Ample over a documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence, released in October 2024.
The documentary featured an anonymous dancer who alleged that Brown raped her on a yacht in 2020. In a statement released by his legal team, the “Forever” singer described the film as “defamatory,” claiming that the allegations were “baseless” and “sensationalized.” His lawyers argue that the documentary’s producers prioritized profit over journalistic integrity, recklessly damaging Brown’s reputation in the process.
The lawsuit, filed in a Los Angeles court, seeks $500 million in damages. Brown’s legal team states that they had previously informed the documentary’s producers that the allegations were “misleading” and “discredited.”
Despite these warnings, Warner Bros went ahead with the release of the film, allegedly ignoring the impact it could have on Brown’s career and personal life. According to his lawyers, the film’s claims caused “significant harm” to his reputation, career, and business opportunities, as well as emotional distress.
The complaint, reviewed by BBC Newsbeat, focuses on three main allegations presented in the documentary. These include the dancer’s claim that Brown raped her, an accusation that he manipulated or deleted text messages before sharing them with police, and a statement suggesting he has a “predisposition for punching women in the face.”
Brown’s legal team has vehemently denied these claims, accusing the documentary of portraying him as a “serial rapist and sexual abuser” without credible evidence.
Brown’s attorneys argue that the documentary has “irreparably tarnished” his career and public standing. They claim the film’s release undermines the credibility of actual survivors of violence while attempting to exploit Brown’s past controversies for financial gain.
In their statement, his lawyer Levi McCathern stated, “Their actions undermine not only Mr. Brown’s decade-long efforts to rebuild his life but also the credibility of true survivors of violence.” Brown has also pledged to donate a portion of any damages awarded to organizations supporting survivors of sexual violence.
The dancer, identified as Jane Doe in court and the documentary, originally sued Brown for $20 million in 2022, alleging that he drugged and raped her at a party on a yacht owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs in Miami.
However, the case was dismissed by a judge. Brown’s lawyers assert that the inclusion of these allegations in the documentary is not only defamatory but also a deliberate attempt to harm his reputation and career. Warner Bros and Ample have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
The documentary also delved into Brown’s history of legal troubles, including his highly publicized 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, for which he pleaded guilty.
Other incidents highlighted in the film include a 2014 altercation in Washington, D.C., where Brown pleaded guilty to punching a man, and a 2017 restraining order filed by his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, who alleged that he threatened her. Despite these past incidents, Brown’s legal team emphasized that he has “never been found at fault for any type of sexual crime.”
Brown has been vocal about his efforts to rebuild his life and career since these earlier controversies. His lawyers argue that the documentary disregards these efforts, instead choosing to focus on unproven allegations to craft a narrative of continued misconduct.
They contend that this approach damages not only Brown but also undermines the broader conversation around abuse survivors by presenting misleading information.
As the legal battle unfolds, Brown maintains his innocence and his commitment to using the case to make a positive impact. By pledging to donate part of any financial compensation to survivors of sexual violence, he aims to redirect some of the attention from the lawsuit toward supporting those who have genuinely suffered.
The outcome of the case will likely have significant implications for both Brown’s career and the wider entertainment industry’s handling of sensitive allegations in media productions.
