‘They Lie’: Chris Brown Sues Warner Bros Over the ‘A History of Violence’ Documentary
The artist demands $500,000 in damages
Throughout his career, Chris Brown has become one of the most controversial artists. In 2009, he pled guilty to a felony after being accused of domestic violence against Rihanna. He was subsequently sentenced to five years of probation and given a level-one restraining order. He addressed this in his documentary Chris Brown: Welcome to My Life, where he detailed this abusive relationship.
This incident shaped his career. While he has since maintained a massive global fanbase, he remains heavily scrutinized by the media. This scrutiny is reflected in the docuseries Chris Brown: A History of Violence, produced by Investigation Discovery and available on HBO. The R&B artist has expressed strong disapproval of the series and has now filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros.
«Despite being notified (by producers) of the false and misleading narrative accusing Mr. Brown of heinous acts, including sexual assault and evidence tampering (allegations that had been discredited in court and dismissed as baseless), the defendants released the documentary on October 27, 2024, without regard for Mr. Brown, prioritizing profits over journalistic integrity,» stated a statement from the artist’s legal team, shared on social media.
$500,000 Lawsuit and Accusations of False Narratives
The artist is demanding $500,000 in damages and criticizing the docuseries for labeling him a «serial rapist and sexual abuser.» The claims in the series are primarily based on the testimony of Jane Doe, a woman who alleges that Brown «raped» her on a yacht owned by Puff Daddy in 2020. Brown insists the documentary is full of «lies.»
«To be clear, Mr. Brown has never been found at fault for any type of sexual crime,» the statement added.
The statement also mentions Daisia Chantel Frank, identified as «Jane Doe» in the docuseries:
«Her false allegations against Mr. Brown were completely debunked in court years ago. Frank is a documented perpetrator of domestic violence with a history that includes physical assaults and threats against her romantic partner. Specific to Mr. Brown, it is evident that any interactions and relationships between him and Ms. Frank were consensual. This is supported by numerous text and voice messages sent by Ms. Frank to Mr. Brown, in which she actively pursued a relationship with him,» the statement claims.
The statement emphasizes that «Mr. Brown seeks accountability and aims to stand against the exploitation of misinformation for personal gain.» It also notes that a portion of the $500,000 will be donated to sexual abuse survivors.
«His 2017 documentary, Chris Brown: Welcome to My Life, remains the definitive account of his experiences and personal growth,» the statement concludes.
4o