Chris Brown and Rihanna’s History Is Featured in a $500 Million Legal Battle

Chris Brown’s tumultuous past with Rihanna has just returned to the public eye, this time as fodder for a $500 million lawsuit against Warner Bros.

The artist is suing for “Chris Brown: A History of Violence,” a documentary that the creators say violates free expression. The video revisits Brown’s violent background, but their legal team maintains the case has no basis.

From 2007 to 2009, Chris Brown dated Rihanna. However, their relationship ended in a now-famous domestic abuse lawsuit that has plagued his reputation ever since.

The violent past of Chris Brown is being used as defense in a lawsuit over a documentary.

The R&B singer is suing the creators of “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” and Warner Bros. for defamation, but they are retaliating with fresh information that is intended to end the case.

Warner Bros. filed many media stories detailing Brown’s criminal assault on Rihanna in 2009, along with his guilty plea and court-mandated therapy.

According to their legal team, these reports that are accessible to the public bolster their claim that the movie is protected by free speech regulations. In court documents that In Touch was able to access, the producers contended:

“All of these exhibits consist of news articles, or other media, published online about the work at issue in this case and its subject matter, namely the Documentary and the widely publicized reporting of Chris Brown’s criminal history and violence towards women, and are being introduced to demonstrate that the Complaint arises from acts in furtherance of Defendants’ free speech rights.”

Also mentioned was the ‘Kiss Kiss’ hitmaker’s past relationship with Karrueche Tran.

The most well-known of these is his violent 2009 confrontation with Rihanna, but the producers didn’t stop there. 

Press reports of Brown’s subsequent relationship with Karrueche Tran, including the five-year restraining order she received in 2017 and rumors of a physical incident with musician Frank Ocean, were also presented.

Michelle Taylor, a documentary participant, also pushed back, the publication notes. She emphasized that everything shown was based on actual, undeniable occurrences that had already garnered media attention and clarified that she did not make the particular claims that Brown is disputing.

Taylor argued that the film only referred to the “widely-reported, fully disclosed, and undisputed facts regarding [Chris’] highly-publicized assault of his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, as well as numerous incidents of [Chris] threatening or violently assaulting others—all of which are discussed in detail in the documentary.”

Warner Bros. stated that their claims were based on free speech. 

The entertainment company and producers reacted earlier in April, claiming their remarks in the documentary were protected by free expression, according to The Blast, prior to their new filing.

Their lawyer claimed that the assertions were either true or not detrimental from a legal standpoint, and he said that Brown’s claims lacked substance.

As a well-known individual, they further contended that Brown lacked proof that the filmmakers acted maliciously, which is a prerequisite in defamation proceedings.

According to reports, the defendants requested that Brown pay for their legal fees in addition to denying that they had caused any emotional anguish.

The Grammy Award winner disputes accusations of sex crime.

Brown sued the producers of the documentary series “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” for $500 million, vehemently disputing any sexual misconduct allegations.

The songwriter said that the documentary was full of untrue facts and disparaging remarks, and that Warner Bros. Discovery, Ample, and other participants were specifically targeted for disseminating false information about him.

Rejecting the idea that he is a “serial rapist and sexual abuser,” Brown said that he has never been charged with or found guilty of any sex-related crimes. Additionally, he pointed out that one of the main characters in the documentary had backed out of her case after acknowledging that her claims were untrue.

Documentaries Are Being Used to Take Advantage of Chris Brown’s Past 

According to Brown, the series also ruined his reputation and brought up unpleasant memories. As the documentary ignored important information that may clear his name, the father-of-three accused the production crew of taking advantage of his history for financial gain and publicity.

“It has taken more than ten years of hard work to repair my image,” Brown said. He acknowledged his past errors and highlighted his development on both a personal and professional level.

If he prevails, Brown promised to donate the $500 million in damages he sought in the lawsuit to victims of sexual abuse.

It remains to be seen whether Chris Brown can cleanse his name or whether Warner Bros.’s free speech position will win out as this story develops.