Is Chris Brown in jail? A History of Violence allegations explained

Chris Brown is under the microscope right now after Investigation Discovery dropped A History of Violence, a new documentary on the singer and the allegations against him. 

There’s no denying the influence Brown has had on the music industry. After his debut single ‘Run It!’ topped the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first male artist to do so since 1995, he would later be referred to as the “king of R&B”. 

But, in recent years, the industry has been gradually undergoing its #MeToo moment. R. Kelly is now in prison on numerous charges of sexual abuse dating back to the ‘90s, while Sean “Diddy” Combs has been arrested amid allegations of sexual misconduct. 

Focus has now turned to Chris Brown in A History of Violence, which lays out years of abuse allegations against him, from his assault on Rihanna to new claims from a Jane Doe. Warning: some may find this content distressing.

Where is Chris Brown now?

Chris Brown isn’t in prison right now, although he has spent a number of days in jail for various incidents, the longest being 108 days of a 131-day sentence after violating his probation in connection to his assault of Rihanna. 

The singer is currently preparing for a number of shows in Brazil and South Africa in December, having wrapped up his 11:11 tour in August 2024. Last year, it was announced that he was moving out of California, although it’s not confirmed where he is currently living.

All allegations and charges against Brown

Chris Brown: A History of Violence tracks a number of the incidents and allegations against the singer, many of which you can find below: 

• 2009: Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault for physically attacking his then-girlfriend Rihanna, which led to her hospitalization and visible facial injuries. He was sentenced to five years probation, community labor, and domestic violence counseling.
• 2011: Brown was accused of having a meltdown backstage of Good Morning America after co-host Robin Roberts asked him about Rihanna. It was claimed that he stormed off set and threw a chair against a window.
• 2012: Eight people were injured from a brawl involving Brown, Drake, and their entourages, although no criminal charges were filed.
• 2013: Brown was involved in a clash with Frank Ocean outside of a Hollywood recording studio, with Brown allegedly punching Ocean and threatening to shoot him. Again, no charges were filed.
• 2013: Later that year, Brown and his bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, were arrested for felony assault after punching a man outside a W Hotel in Washington DC, although the charges were later reduced to misdemeanors and they were released from jail.
• 2013: Around the same time as the misdemeanor, Brown voluntarily entered a rehab facility for anger management but was reportedly later kicked out after smashing his mother’s car window with a rock during a session. The judge overseeing his probation then ordered for him to enter another rehab program for 90 days.
• 2014: Brown was kicked out of another rehab facility where he was ordered to stay, which led to him being arrested for 108 days. He later pleaded guilty to the Washington DC, incident and was sentenced to time served.
• 2015: Brown was accused of hitting a man in Las Vegas, which he denied. The accuser didn’t press charges.
• 2015: The singer was detained in the Philippines for several days in July over a fraud investigation into the cancellation of a New Year’s Eve concert, although he was later released.
• 2016: The Las Vegas Police confirmed an investigation into Brown after a woman accused him of beating her and stealing her phone at a Palms Casino Resort party. Again, Brown denied the allegations and it doesn’t appear there were charges filed.
• 2016: Later that year, Brown was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after model Baylee Curran accused him of pointing a gun at her in his home. After law enforcement surrounded his property, he was detained but posted his $250,000 bail and was released later that night. The case never went to trial.
• 2017: Brown was ordered to stay away from ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, who he had dated after Rihanna before they split in 2014. According to Tran, Brown had punched her in the stomach and pushed her down the stairs, but again no charges were filed. She claimed Brown had repeatedly threatened her, and later that year, she was granted a five-year restraining order against him.
• 2018: Brown was named in a lawsuit by a Jane Doe, who claimed rapper Young Lo – real name Lowell Grissom Jr. – raped her at Brown’s home. The case was settled in 2020.
• 2019: The singer was arrested in Paris alongside two other men on suspicion of rape. He was later released, and took to social media to deny the allegations.
• 2021: Brown was accused of hitting a woman after a fight in LA, although the case did not lead to any charges.
• 2022: Another Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Brown, accusing him of drugging and raping her on Diddy’s yacht at a party the year prior. The case was ultimately dropped and Brown denied any wrongdoing.

The latter Doe comes forward in A History of Violence to share her story, saying, “I remember I did lay back and I’m like, ‘Why can’t I get up?’ Next thing I knew, he was on top of me. 

“I couldn’t move. And I said no, and then I felt him… next thing I knew he was inside me… I was just so disgusted.” One of Doe’s lawyers, Ariel Mitchell, confirmed to People she is representing her again after the case was dropped. 

Liziane Gutierrez also appears in the new documentary, naming herself as the woman in the 2016 Las Vegas incident. 

“When I first saw Chris Brown at the party, he was acting weird. Extremely weird. And then I decided to grab my phone and take a picture of him,” she says in the documentary.

Brown allegedly saw Guiterrez with her phone and punched her in the face, before security kicked her out of the party. 

“I’m not saying it was right what I did with my phone. I know that. But that doesn’t give you the right to punch me in the face,” Gutierrez says. 

Brown’s legal team denied the accusations in A History of Violence, including those made by Gutierrez and Doe. 

Why A History of Violence doesn’t show Rihanna photos

The doc doesn’t show the images of Rihanna’s face after the assault out of respect for the singer, as the photos were leaked against her will. 

As said by culture writer Scaachi Koul, “The photos of Rihanna’s face after the assault were released. They were leaked by LAPD, which they’re not supposed to do.”

In a statement, producers of A History of Violence stated, “Out of respect for Rihanna, this documentary will not show the photos.”

Chris Brown: A History of Violence is streaming on Max now. You can also check out the new Diddy documentary and the new allegations against Diddy ahead of 50 Cent’s Netflix documentary.