A forthcoming documentary titled Chris Brown: A History of Violence is set to air tonight, delving into the singer's controversial past and bringing to light new allegations of assault and abuse. Among the accusers featured is a Jane Doe who alleges that Brown drugged and assaulted her aboard Sean "Diddy" Combs's yacht in December 2020.
The woman, an aspiring dancer who had recently moved to Los Angeles, recounted her experience in the documentary. She described meeting Brown at a gathering on Diddy's yacht, viewing it as a networking opportunity to advance her career. "We had talked, and he had handed me a drink. I'm not even sure... this is when my memory starts getting a little bit weird," she said. After consuming multiple drinks, she claimed to feel disoriented and heavy. "Next thing I know, he was on top of me, and I couldn't move, and I said 'No.'"
Following the incident, the woman admitted she continued to communicate with Brown. It wasn't until she sought therapy that she began to understand the encounter as a sexual assault. In 2022, she filed a $20 million lawsuit against the "Run It!" singer. However, the case was dismissed "without prejudice" due to "lack of prosecution" after text messages between her and Brown surfaced, leading her initial attorneys to believe she hadn't disclosed all information.
Her attorney, Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, who appears in the documentary, has since resumed representation. "I adore my client, and I believe what happened to her is 100% true," Mitchell-Kidd stated. Despite the dismissal, she remains committed to seeking justice for her client.
An attorney for Brown has denied the allegations, calling them "malicious and false." A representative for Diddy declined to comment on the matter.
Another accuser featured in the documentary is Liziane Gutierrez, who alleges that Brown assaulted her during a party in his Las Vegas hotel room in 2016. Gutierrez claimed she took a photo with her phone, which angered Brown. "Chris Brown punched me in the face," she asserted. She later filed a lawsuit against him, which was privately settled in 2017.
The documentary also revisits Brown's 2009 felony assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, an incident that shocked the music industry and the public. Leaked police photos showed Rihanna with visible injuries, and Brown was sentenced to five years of probation and community service after pleading guilty.
Despite these and other allegations over the years-including restraining orders, lawsuits, and claims of violent behavior-Brown has maintained a successful music career. He recently kicked off his "11:11 Tour," joking to a sold-out crowd about attempts to have him "blackballed" from the industry.
Domestic violence experts featured in the documentary discuss the challenges of breaking cycles of abuse, especially when both parties have histories of witnessing or experiencing violence. The program also examines how high-profile individuals can continue to thrive professionally despite serious allegations against them.
Freddy Sayegh, a criminal defense and entertainment attorney interviewed in the documentary, remarked, "I looked at most of his criminal history, and he's got a 15-year history of nearly every year of his life being involved in reported violence of some sort."
The documentary draws parallels between Brown's situation and those of other artists like R. Kelly, suggesting that public figures often face delayed repercussions for their actions. "Look how long it took for R. Kelly to fall," Mitchell-Kidd noted, emphasizing the power of media and public awareness in holding individuals accountable.
Sunny Hostin, an attorney and co-host of The View, hosted an after-show discussion on Investigation Discovery. She expressed surprise that many young fans are unaware of Brown's past. "I remember being in the courtroom," she said of the Rihanna case. "But I just recently had a friend take her son and a group of other children to a Chris Brown concert... They had no idea that he really, really hurt Rihanna."
Chris Brown: A History of Violence premieres Sunday, October 27, at 9:00 p.m. on Investigation Discovery. The documentary aims to shed light on the serious allegations against Brown and spark a conversation about accountability and abuse in the entertainment industry.
