Chris Brown is facing over 10 years in prison. Here’s how his violent past has led him here
The music industry is rife with men accused of assault, sexual abuse, harassment, and misconduct. The list is so long that it sometimes feels like being capable of extreme violence is a prerequisite for commercial success. And someone who has sat near the top of that list for quite some time now is Chris Brown—an individual who’s faced countless accusations during the 20 years that he’s been in the spotlight. Having avoided prison a dozen or so times before, Brown is currently facing over a decade behind bars after he was arrested on 15 May 2025 in Manchester and charged with grievous bodily harm.
For a reason I’ll never completely understand, the internet is seemingly divided over Brown’s guilt. Some have chosen to stand by the singer, convinced that he’ll be vindicated. Others (the more sane, in my opinion) have expressed their delight at Brown finally being held accountable for his actions.
So, from the details of his arrest to his previous indiscretions, let’s unpack everything you need to know about Chris Brown’s legal battles.
liking every chris brown arrested tweet on the tl pic.twitter.com/ZJDiU1VBIz
— monica (@waystarroyhoe) May 15, 2025
Why was Chris Brown arrested?
On Thursday 15 May 2025, Chris Brown was arrested in Manchester, UK at the Salford Lowry Hotel. According to the BBC, the artist has been charged regarding an assault that took place in Mayfair in 2023, at the nightclub Tape London. The 36-year-old is alleged to have used a bottle to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw.
Brown has been in the UK preparing for a large area tour due to take place in June and July of this year, with shows at venues such as the Manchester Co-Op Live arena and the Principality stadium in Cardiff.
Almost immediately after Brown was arrested, two camps were set up on X. There were those who were pleased to see him facing legal repercussions:
Chris Brown was denied bail & has to stay locked up until at least June 13th..
But, his tour starts June 8th.. 😂 pic.twitter.com/IPzbXa182l
— Jerome Trammel, M.B.A (@MrJeromeTrammel) May 16, 2025
So they approved Chris Brown’s visa… just to snatch him as soon as he landed??? pic.twitter.com/MnaY0pvprF
— H. (@tbh_46) May 15, 2025
Chris Brown posted “Free Tory” yesterday and got arrested today… pic.twitter.com/QAgY2PQvdg
— 🗝️ (@DiaryOfKeysus) May 15, 2025
And those who remain firmly under the impression that Brown is innocent and should be freed:
FREE CHRIS BROWN!!! pic.twitter.com/I7G40DeRiW
— ☆ (@ginterngl) May 19, 2025
FREE CHRIS BROWN MY MAN IS INNOCENT
— ur fav Nina (@msninaherself) May 16, 2025
Ironically, there were also a number of fans who were mainly pissed off about the fact that his arrest meant that Brown wouldn’t be able to go ahead with his upcoming arena tour dates… Because naturally, that’s the main priority.
Chris Brown denied bail.
This is going to ruin the tour. pic.twitter.com/mhATZfDBtz— Harry ❯❯❯❯ (@Recylopse) May 16, 2025
Given the nature of these charges, Brown was denied bail and has been remanded in custody. The New York Times reported that the singer will remain in custody until his court date, which has been set for 13 June at London’s Southwark Crown Court.
A Los Angeles lawsuit reviewed by USA Today reveals that music producer Amadou “Abe” Diaw sued Brown for allegedly beating him over the head with a tequila bottle at the London nightclub club in 2023.
“While traveling for his 2023 ‘Under the Influence’ Tour … (Brown) brutally assaulted (Diaw) at TAPE nightclub in London. Wielding a large bottle of Don Julio 1942 Tequila as his weapon, Brown inflicted severe and lasting injuries on (Diaw) when beating him over the head with crushing blows,” the lawsuit details.
The report continues: “As (Diaw) lay unconscious on the floor, Brown continued to ruthlessly stomp on the defenceless (Diaw) for approximately 30 seconds. (Diaw) ended up in the hospital with lacerations on his head and torn ligaments in his leg.”
Thankfully, if Brown gets lonely while awaiting his day in court, there are a lot of women currently interested in pursuing a new profession. Specifically, there are a couple of girlies thinking about submitting applications to become UK prison officers so they can be close to the singer:
@girliemum No husband was hurt here😂🫢 #chrisbrown #breezy #husbandwife #viralvideos #fyp #for #foru #police #relatable @chrisbrownofficial
♬ Under The Influence - Chris Brown
@sparks_diamonds Y’all ain’t wrong Queens😎 #chrisbrown #greenscreen
♬ original sound - Frankie Bleau
Chris Brown’s violent history
Chris Brown’s history with violence and assault accusations is something that now defines him as an individual and an artist (and it’s evidently something he isn’t interested in owning). In January 2025, reports began circulating that Brown was suing a film studio over a documentary released in 2024 which included accusations of sexual assault.
Chris Brown: A History of Violence, an investigative documentary, featured testimony from an anonymous dancer who claimed the rapper raped her on a yacht in 2020.
chris brown has been nothing but violent for YEARS & consistently aligns himself with abusers yet there will still be bw going to bat for him. make it make sense.
— virgo’s groove (@_cierraaab) May 15, 2025
This is only one out of a number of accusations leveled against Brown, and as we explore them in more detail, it’ll become clear that this man has done nothing to amend his behaviour and change as a person.
I’d also like to preface that if I went into the specifics regarding every single one of Brown’s public brawls, we’d be here for a long while. Moreover, I think it’s more important to focus on the details of specific cases wherein the singer’s true colours shone through.
Chris Brown and Rihanna
Chris Brown and Rihanna’s turbulent past is incredibly well-known. But given the severity of Brown’s current charges, it feels important to revisit this moment in history.
In February 2009, Brown choked and physically assaulted his then girlfriend Rihanna during an altercation. The attack, which allegedly began with Rihanna hitting and kicking Brown, left the ‘Work’ singer with a busted lip and other very visible facial injuries.
The singer later turned himself in to police and pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault. Brown received five years probation and a community service order for the assault.
Chris Brown arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault in Washington DC
In September 2014, Chris Brown pleaded guilty to hitting a man outside a Washington hotel. At the time of his arrest, Brown was still under probation for his assault case in California involving ex-girlfriend Rihanna.
The BBC reported that the assault supposedly took place after the victim, Parker Adams, tried to join a picture the singer was taking with two women.
According to The Guardian, Brown pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to time served. He spent two days in a Washington jail in this case. Brown had previously rejected two plea deals.
Chris Brown allegedly assaults Brazilian model in Las Vegas
In January 2016, the BBC reported that Chris Brown had allegedly been involved in an altercation with Brazilian model Liziane Gutierrez. The woman claimed that the R&B singer had assaulted her in a room at the Palms Casino Resort and had her mobile phone taken off her. The artist had been in Las Vegas at the time to perform in a club for New Year’s Eve.
Brown denied these allegations, telling officials that the story was “unequivocally untrue.” A statement released by Brown’s publicist stated: “[She] was escorted out of the private after party at the Palms Casino Resort for being disruptive and out of control. Once she was in the hallway, while waiting for Chris Brown’s security to bring out her phone, she had a total meltdown—throwing her purse to the ground and claiming that she ‘could buy everyone in the hotel’—as witnessed by numerous people waiting to get into the party.”
No charges were brought against Brown.
Chris Brown ordered to stay away from Karrueche Tran after she claimed he threatened to kill her
In February 2017, Chris Brown was given a restraining order and told to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran. This came to fruition following claims that Brown had punched Tran in the stomach, pushed her down the stairs, and threatened to kill her.
Chris Brown repeatedly abused Karrueche and threatened to kill her several times. That a judge granted her a 5year restraining order. He tormented her, who she dated and harassed her in person and in songs. So why any woman would even attend his shows is beyond me.
— Feminist Witch 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩🌙 (@DonCorleANN) December 15, 2024
Court documents revealed that Tran told authorities: “He told a few people that he was going to kill me. He said if no one else can have me, he’s gonna ‘take me out’.” The pair dated on and off for five years following the breakdown of Brown’s relationship with Rihanna.
It’s not hard to deduct what kind of man Brown is from all of these incidents. The singer’s recent arrest, alongside the half a dozen other crosses marked next to his name, cements the fact that this isn’t an individual who is deserving of a world stage, nor the accolades he’s regularly reaped over the past twenty years.
