Singer Chris Brown sues Warner Bros for $674 million over ‘defamatory documentary’
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Lawyers for Chris Brown said the documentary has a “misleading narrative” that accuses the singer of heinous acts.
PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON – Chris Brown (right) has filed a US$500 million (S$674 million) lawsuit against Hollywood entertainment studio Warner Bros and others for making a “defamatory documentary” about his alleged sexual assault and other accusations, according to a lawyers’ statement posted to the music star’s Instagram.
The film, Chris Brown: A History Of Violence, which was released in October by Warner Bros’ Investigation Discovery channel, chronicles allegations of domestic violence, assault and sexual misconduct against the American R&B singer and rapper over the years.
Brown, 35, rose to fame at a young age, but his reputation was later tarnished by allegations of domestic violence and other abuse – most famously when he was convicted of beating Barbadian pop star Rihanna, his then girlfriend, before the 2009 Grammy Awards, forcing the pop star to miss the annual gala.
In a complaint filed at Los Angeles Superior Court on Jan 21, Brown’s lawyers said the documentary, streamed on Max, has a “misleading narrative” that accuses their client of “heinous acts, including sexual assault and evidence tampering – allegations that had been discredited in court and dismissed as baseless”.
The attorneys said the film “sensationalised debunked claims to drive viewership and revenue, recklessly damaging Mr Brown’s reputation and spreading false information to the public”, according to the statement, posted by Brown on Jan 22.
“To be clear, Mr Brown has never been found at fault for any type of sexual crime,” they added.
A spokesperson for Investigation Discovery said in a statement published by USA Today on Jan 22: “We stand behind the production and will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit.”
The US$500 million claim was brought against Warner Brothers, Ample, LLC and individuals involved in producing the documentary, the lawyers’ statement said.
Brown’s attorney Levi McCathern said the documentary-makers had undermined Brown’s “decade-long efforts to rebuild his life, but also the credibility of true survivors of violence”.
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 was also previously accused of raping a woman in a luxury Paris hotel. He denied the claim and was not charged. AFP
