Chris Brown has been arrested in Paris after a woman accused him of rape. The Associated Press reports that Brown, his bodyguard, and another man were detained on Monday after a woman filed an aggravated rape complaint. He is also facing charges of drug infractions. According to the complaint, the woman claims she met Brown and his associates overnight between January 15 and 16 at the club Le Crystal and then proceeded to accompany him to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Paris authorities reportedly have two days to decide whether to file charges against Brown or let him go.
In 2009, Brown famously pleaded guilty to felony assault against his then-girlfriend Rihanna; since then, he has faced a cycle of legal troubles, even after finishing his probation in 2015. Last May, he was sued by a woman who claims she was raped at Brown’s California home by rapper Young Lo and held there against her will. He was also arrested in July 2018 for felony battery related to an alleged 2017 assault at a Tampa nightclub. In 2016, Brown was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman with a gun. Most recently, in December 2018, Brown was charged with illegal possession of a pet capuchin monkey and could be facing up to six months in jail. He’s scheduled for arraignment in Los Angeles in that case on February 6, though it’s unclear how the Paris rape case, if charges are filed, would affect that. Reps for Brown have yet to comment on his latest arrest.
Update, 5:15 p.m. ET: Chris Brown has responded to the rape allegation with an Instagram post calling his accuser both a “bitch†and a liar, saying her claim “is against my character and morals.â€
Update, 10:55 p.m. ET: Chris Brown has been released from custody and so far no charges have been filed. He has reportedly been authorized to leave France while the investigation proceeds.
Update, January 23: Brown’s French attorney, Raphael Chiche, has now responded to the rape allegation, tweeting that Brown intends to sue his accuser for slander.
Update, January 24: Brown has now sued his rape accuser for defamation; however, the lawsuit has criminal implications versus just civil. According to TMZ, in addition to accusing the woman of filing a false police report, Brown is alleging invasion of privacy; his attorneys are asking that the case be handled in criminal court. Under French law, his accuser could face up to one year in prison.