A judge has dismissed Chris Brown’s $500 million defamation lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and Ample Entertainment, the companies behind the 2024 documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence, which highlights the assault and sexual abuse allegations against him.
Details on the judge’s ruling, Brown’s lawsuit and the documentary’s claims
On Monday, the judge ruled that Investigation Discovery upheld journalistic standards in the project and dismissed the singer’s lawsuit, which he filed in January 2025. Brown, 36, said the serious allegations against him were false and “full of lies and deception” and “violating journalistic principles,” according to Billboard and Blavity.
The lawsuit states that ID intentionally included assault claims and evidence tampering from an unreliable accuser, per Blavity.
The basis of the complaint stems from a Jane Doe accuser who made sexual assault and domestic violence claims against the “No Guidance” singer. She claimed that Brown had raped her in 2020, but his lawyers denied those allegations.
Brown said the Jan Doe accuser’s claims were questionable, based on her past
The Jane Doe accuser sued Brown in 2022, alleging sexual assault and domestic violence claims against him. She alleged the Virginia native raped her aboard Sean “Diddy” Combs’ yacht in Miami Beach.
Brown said the accuser fabricated her claims and that her credibility is questionable since she has a “history of violence and erratic behavior.” Because of that, her allegations “should have raised red flags for any responsible journalist,” according to the lawsuit.
However, during Monday’s ruling, Judge Colin Leis said Investigation Discovery used information from both sides in an unbiased manner, per Billboard.
The judge rules in favor of the network and production company
“The court has personally viewed the entire documentary. The documentary recites most of the inconsistencies plaintiff notes, including the existence of the text messages,” the judge wrote. “Media defendants thus presented a ‘fair and true’ report of [the woman’s] statements and the judicial record and proceedings.”
Judge Leis also stated that Brown’s claims regarding the documentary’s defamation of his character were false. The network included an interview of culture writer Scaachi Koul, in which she says that Brown has a “predisposition for punching women in the face.” Leis referred to Brown’s previous confession of punching ex-girlfriend, Rihanna, in the face, Billboard reported.
“Plaintiff presents no evidence that Scaachi Koul’s opinions about plaintiff’s predilections are false,” the judge said.
The judge’s ruling falls under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects those with public participation from lawsuits that infringe on their First Amendment rights to free speech, according to California Anti-SLAPP Project.