Chris Brown Hits Back In Lawsuit Over Frank Ocean Brawl

Embattled Chris Brown has filed a countersuit against rival singer Frank Ocean's cousin, accusing him of provoking a parking lot brawl between the stars' entourages earlier this year (13).

The Kiss Kiss hitmaker hit headlines in January (13) when he and his bodyguards allegedly clashed with Ocean's crew over a parking space outside the Westlake Studio in West Hollywood.

Ocean declined to press charges after initially filing a police complaint for battery, but his relative Sha'Keir Duarte decided to launch his own $2 million (£1.3 million) civil action in August (13), holding Brown responsible for the actions of Hood, a member of his security team, who is accused of viciously beating the plaintiff during the altercation.

Duarte alleged Hood punched him in the face and kicked him around 12 times as the singer encouraged him, while he also claimed that Brown used the N-word against him during the brawl.

Now Brown, who is currently seeking anger management treatment in rehab, is firing back in his own lawsuit, claiming he tried to avoid confrontation "with the aggressive and hostile Mr. Duarte", who he insists started the fight. The star goes on to accuse Duarte of kicking and punching him and even threatening his life, and he is adamant Ocean's cousin is simply suing him for money, reports Tmz.com.

Brown checked into a Malibu, California treatment centre on 29 October (13), a day after pleading not guilty to a misdemeanour assault charge following a fight outside a Washington, D.C. hotel.