Chris Brown has suffered a major legal setback after a judge officially dismissed his $500 million defamation lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and its subsidiary Investigation Discovery.
According to Complex, the ruling was issued on January 12, with the court siding fully with Warner Bros. Discovery, Investigation Discovery, and production company Ample Entertainment — the team behind the 2024 documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence.
Brown initially filed the lawsuit last year, alleging that the documentary contained false, misleading, and defamatory claims about his past, including allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Central to his complaint was a woman featured in the film who accused him of raping her in 2020 aboard a yacht owned by Diddy — an allegation Brown has repeatedly denied.
Brown argued that the woman’s account was inconsistent and that key text messages were omitted when she reported the incident to Miami police. However, the court rejected those arguments.
Judge Cites Anti-SLAPP Protections
The lawsuit was dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which is designed to protect free speech and prevent powerful figures from using lawsuits to silence journalists or media organizations. Under this statute, Brown was required to prove that his claims had real legal merit — a burden the judge ruled he did not meet.
In his decision, Judge Colin Leis stated that he personally watched the entire documentary and found that it adhered to proper journalistic standards. He also noted that the film presented both sides of the story and included the very inconsistencies Brown cited in his lawsuit, including references to the disputed text messages.
The ruling represents a significant victory for Investigation Discovery and Warner Bros. Discovery, reinforcing protections for investigative journalism and documentary filmmaking.
While the case has been dismissed, Brown still has the option to appeal the ruling if he chooses to continue the legal fight.
