Chris Brown Sues Warner Bros. for $500 Million Over Docuseries, Says He Was Falsely Labeled as an Abuser

Mar. 15, 2025

Chris Brown attends Demi Lovato “Tell Me You Love Me” World Tour at The Forum on March 2, 2018 in Inglewood, California.Photo:Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Chris Brownis suing Warner Bros. for $500 million, alleging he was labeled as a serial rapist and abuser in Investigation Discovery’s docuseries,Chris Brown: A History of Violence.

Brown is suing Warner Bros., Ample, and the documentary’s producers for alleged defamation-libel and infliction of emotional distress through the claims made in the documentary.

One accuser, identified as Jane Doe, alleges Brown raped her in 2020. The R&B singer’s attorneys denied the claims in the documentary.

“This case is about the media putting their own profits over the truth,” Tuesday’s lawsuit claims, adding that the network aired the documentary “knowing that it was full of lies and deception and violating journalistic principles.”

hris Brown attends the Amiri Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 18, 2024 in Paris, France.Pierre Suu/Getty

Pierre Suu/Getty

The filing alleges that the woman identified as Doe had previously been “discredited” as an alleged “perpetrator of intimate partner violence and aggressor herself.” The lawsuit states that Brown has not ever been convicted of any sex crimes, however, the project paints him as a “serial rapist” and “sexual abuser.”

Brown’s attorneys say he has worked hard at “redeeming” his reputation over the past decade. In 2009, he wascharged with two felonies— assault and making criminal threats — in the beating of his then-girlfriend,Rihanna, the month before. He pleaded guilty on June 22, 2009, andaccepted a plea deal of community labor, five years' probation and domestic violence counseling.

“Mr. Brown has grown from those experiences, and his evolution speaks for itself,” the lawsuit continues. “This new production ignores that growth, choosing instead to repackage stale accusations while amplifying them with demonstrable falsehoods.”

Brown’s lawsuit includes alleged screenshots of a restraining order Doe’s boyfriend allegedly 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.

The filing further alleges that the documentary has damaged Brown’s career and business opportunities.

“This case is about protecting the truth,” Brown’s attorney, Levi McCathern said in a release shared with 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.”

“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 is suing for alleged defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and using his name and likeness for promotional purposes. He is asking for $500,000 in damages and a jury trial.

“We stand behind the production and will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit," an Investigation Discovery spokesperson told PEOPLE on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.

source: people.com