Timeline of Chris Brown’s History of Violence Towards Women
Chris Brown transformed from a wholesome R&B teen superstar with Michael Jackson potential to a more wicked pop culture villain when he received his first criminal offense: a battery charge for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. Since then, assault and battery charges have peppered the last several years of his public image, particularly accusations from women who have filed police reports against the singer and dancer. This week, he was arrested on suspicion for assault with a deadly weapon, reminding us that Brown’s dangerous history against women is never too far behind him – and it constantly threatens to stall his music career he has continued to pursue. Here, we look back at a timeline of accusations and run-ins with the law.
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Rihanna Abuse: February, 2009
Image Credit: Rick Loomis/Getty Brown's public image had been clean until a vicious fight between the 19-year-old and his then-girlfriend Rihanna made headlines. The night before the Grammy Awards, where the couple had been nominated for two awards each, the pair had left a pre-Grammy party and got into a public altercation. Rihanna's face and arms had been covered in visible contusions and bruises. He had been charged with batter following Rihanna's hospitalization. Brown formally completed his probation in March of 2015.
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Robin Roberts Interview: March, 2011
Image Credit: Ida Mae Astute/Getty Two years after being charged with battery, Chris Brown sat down with Robin Roberts for an interview on Good Morning America. When the host asked Brown about the domestic abuse case, the singer reportedly stormed off the set and he had broken a window in his dressing room.
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Phone Robbery: February, 2012
Image Credit: Rodrigo Varela/Getty While attending a club in Miami Beach, Brown became upset when he noticed a woman taking a photo of him outside of the club. According to Christal Shanae Spann's police report, the singer had snatched the phone from her hands through her car window to avoid any photos being leaked to tabloids and then drove off with the item. He was accused of one count of robbery.
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Club Shove: June, 2013
Image Credit: Allen Berezovsky/Getty In Orange County, Brown experienced another club-related altercation when Deanna Gines accused him of shoving her to the ground. She claimed she would need surgery following the incident that left her with torn ligaments in her right knee.
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Bus Assault: September, 2015
Image Credit: Suzanne Cordeiro/Getty During a video shoot in Colorado, Brown forcibly ejected a woman from his bus when she refused to give up her cell phone. The woman, who was not part of the shoot, also claimed her phone was broken and filed a report for third-degree assault.
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Las Vegas Face Punch: January, 2016
Image Credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty Brown avoided charges after a woman accused him of punching her in the face and taking her phone in a Las Vegas night club. Liziane Gutierrez claimed that she had been trying to take a photo with Brown during a private party before the assault occurred.
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Manager Attack: May, 2016
Image Credit: David Wolff/ Getty Following allegations that Brown had brutally attacked his former manager Mike G, the singer's tour manager Nancy Ghosh also claimed that he had threatened a similar attack against her and cut ties with the performer.
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Gun Threat: August, 2016
Image Credit: JB Lacroix/Getty Chris Brown was detained by the LAPD following a stand-off at his home. A woman had accused the singer of threatening her with a gun after showing up to his home. During the stand-off, Brown posted several photos and videos to Instagram asserting his innocence as the police waited outside after being told they would need a search warrant before entering.