Chris Brown sues Warner Bros. for $500M over 'A History of Violence' documentary

Chris Brown is taking legal action months after a documentary exploring his alleged history of violence was released.

The singer-songwriter sued Warner Bros. Discovery and several others for their role in the production of "Chris Brown: A History of Violence," a documentary film chronicling Brown's alleged pattern of abuse. He is seeking $500 million in damages, alleging libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The Investigation Discovery documentary (streaming on Max) is a compilation of many claims made against Brown over the years, strung together to create a picture of a violent man whom the entertainment industry has granted a pass. Brown has denied many of the allegations against him and has never been found guilty for any sex-related crime. The recent suit cites that fact and contends he has taken responsibility for past wrongdoings.

A spokesperson for Investigation Discovery said in a statement shared with USA TODAY on Wednesday that "We stand behind the production and will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit."

USA TODAY has reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery and Ample Entertainment, the production company behind the docuseries, for comment.

Brown sued not only the producers, but also one of the subjects of the documentary, in a complaint filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Lawyers for Brown accused the architects of the documentary of knowing the narrative they laid out was false but proceeding anyway as a money grab, according to the court documents obtained by USA TODAY.

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The defendants "completely disregarded the facts in an attempt for fame and fortune −all at the cost of Chris Brown and the reputation he has worked diligently in redeeming over the last decade," the filing says.

The documentary, which aired on Investigation Discovery Oct. 27, includes an account of violence from a Jane Doe who sued Brown in 2022 for sexual assault. The woman, whom Brown's legal team names in the filing, alleges Brown drugged and raped her on music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' Miami Beach-based yacht. Combs now faces his own legal minefield after a suit from his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura unleashed a torrent of other claims from alleged victims who are accusing the rapper of rape.

Brown's star was heavily tarnished in 2009 when fans learned that he had assaulted then-girlfriend Rihanna on the night of the Grammys. Photos showing Rihanna bloody and bruised after the attack were leaked to the public at the time, forever altering Brown's reputation and kicking off more than a decade of legal troubles.

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Brown's lawyers argue in Tuesday's filings that restitution for those years has been paid and the most recent account of violence is fraudulent. "Mr. Brown has grown from those experiences and his evolution speaks for itself," the complaint reads.

"The storytelling 'Jane Doe' had not only been discredited over and over but was in fact a perpetrator of intimate partner violence and aggressor herself," the filing argues, citing the dismissal of the case as well as a restraining order from Jane Doe's ex-boyfriend, who alleged she harassed him online and threatened him with a knife.

Brown's team attached the restraining order request, along with an alleged record of Jane Doe's 2021 arrest related to the domestic violence charges.

Her "history of violence and erratic behavior should have raised red flags for any responsible journalist," Brown's complaint reads. The woman was dropped by her lawyers after the Miami Beach Police Department discovered texts on her phone that appeared to show her continued interest in Brown after the date of the alleged assault.

The film also covers a 2011 incident in which Brown stormed off the set of ABC's "Good Morning America" and smashed a window; accounts of the singer punching fans; and more allegations of abuse ― both physical and verbal ― against ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran.

Brown has also been accused of abuse by former managers, one of whom sued him in 2016, alleging the singer punched him multiple times.

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But Brown's legal team does not appear to be focusing on the sprawling case laid out in the docuseries, but instead on the woman's testimony and the impact they allege an unreliable narrator like her can have.

"Beyond its personal impact on Mr. Brown, the Documentary undermines responsible storytelling and discredits true survivors of violence," the filing argues.

Framing the suit as not only an act of retribution for Brown himself but also survivors of assault whose experiences have been allegedly cheapened by the production of the documentary, the filing promises to donate some of the potential damage award to survivors of sexual abuse.

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In a separate statement, lawyers for Brown accused defendants of "prioritizing profits over journalistic integrity" and called the documentary "an outrageous act that not only undermines journalistic integrity but also disrespects the experiences of genuine survivors of intimate partner violence."

Brown's history of violence against women has ratcheted up in recent years.

In 2017, a restraining order was granted to Tran, mandating Brown stay away from her after she alleged he was abusive toward her.

In 2018, an anonymous accuser represented by women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred sued Brown, alleging he had trapped her in his home and forced her to perform sex acts for his friends.

In 2019, the singer was accused of raping a woman in Paris, but he was released without charges. This was followed by the 2022 suit from the Jane Doe.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org/online and receive confidential support.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Brown lawsuit sues Warner Bros. over 'A History of Violence'