Chris Brown Sues Warner Bros for $500 Million in Defamation
Chris Brown has filed a $500 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. and others for producing a “defamatory documentary” about his alleged sexual assault and other allegations, according to a lawyer’s statement posted on the singer’s Instagram.
The film “Chris Brown: A History of Violence,” which was released in October by Warner Bros’ Investigation Discovery channel, follows allegations of domestic abuse, assault, and sexual misconduct against the American R&B singer and rapper over the years.
Brown, 35, rose to prominence at a young age with his rich R&B voice and later rap, but his reputation was tainted by allegations of domestic violence and other abuse, most notably when he was convicted of beating Rihanna, then his girlfriend, before the 2009 Grammy Awards, forcing the pop star to miss the annual event.
Brown’s lawyers filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that the documentary, which is being streamed on Max, contains a “misleading narrative” accusing their client of “heinous acts, including sexual assault and evidence tampering — allegations that had been discredited in court and dismissed as baseless.”
The attorneys claimed that the film “sensationalized debunked claims to drive viewership and revenue, recklessly damaging Mr Brown’s reputation and spreading false information to the public,” according to Brown’s statement posted on Wednesday.
To be clear, Mr. Brown has never been found responsible for any form of sexual crime,” they continued.
A spokesperson for Investigation Discovery said in a statement published by USA TODAY on Wednesday: “We stand behind the production and will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit.”
The $500 million claim was made against Warner Bros, Ample, LLC and persons involved in creating the documentary, the lawyers’ statement said.
The singer, who rose from a local church choir in Virginia to sudden fame, was arrested in 2016 after a woman alleged that he pointed a gun at her.
Earlier that year, another woman accused him of battery in Las Vegas.
He also was previously accused of raping a woman in a luxury Paris hotel. He denied the claim and was not charged.
AFP
