A judge has dismissed Chris Brown’s defamation lawsuit over the documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence, ruling that the network behind it met accepted journalistic standards.
The decision clears Investigation Discovery, Warner Bros Discovery, and Ample Entertainment after the singer sought $500 million in damages, arguing the 2024 film misrepresented him.
Brown filed suit last year, saying the documentary was “full of lies and deception” and unfairly amplified abuse allegations. Central to his complaint was the inclusion of a woman who accused him of assaulting her on a yacht owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2020. Brown has repeatedly denied the claimand claims there are many contradictions in her story, a violent past, and text messages he says were withheld from police in Miami.
In a court order issued Monday, Judge Colin Leis said the filmmakers did not ignore those disputes.
“The court has personally viewed the entire documentary,” he wrote, adding that it presented the inconsistencies raised by Brown, including the messages. He concluded that the media companies offered a “fair and true” account of statements and court records rather than a one-sided narrative.
The judge also rejected Brown’s objection to a comment from culture writer Scaachi Koul, who said the singer had a “predisposition for punching women in the face.” Leis noted that Brown has admitted to assaulting Rihanna, undercutting claims of defamation.