by Julienne Okisho
Jury Orders Chris Brown to Pay $12.9m to Ex-Housekeeper Over Dog Attack
A Los Angeles jury has found American singer Chris Brown liable for negligence after a 2020 dog attack and ordered him to pay $12.9 million in damages.
The verdict followed a two-week civil trial. Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, must pay the amount to his former housekeeper, Maria Avila, according to Billboard.
Avila sued Brown after she was attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian Shepherd, while taking out trash at Brown’s Tarzana home. She told the court the dog caused severe injuries, including permanent facial scarring, vision loss, nerve damage, and disfigurement.
During the trial, Brown said the dog was kept for security and was not a pet. He told jurors he warned staff, including Avila and her sister Patricia, not to go outside without security because the dogs were not friendly.
Avila and Patricia denied receiving any warning. They said language barriers would have made that unlikely.
The court also heard that Brown left the property after the attack instead of calling emergency services. He testified he was told by his manager that staying could attract media attention.
> “The blood kind of freaked me out,” Brown said. “I was in shock at the time.”
Avila, speaking through an interpreter, said she had multiple surgeries, including skin grafts from her abdomen. She said the attack left her with permanent scars, reduced mobility, and post-traumatic stress, and that she can no longer work as a housekeeper.
The jury also awarded Patricia Avila $885,000 and Maria’s husband, Oscar Olivo, $50,000.
Patricia’s lawyer, Michael C. Murphy, said: “After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia.”
Brown’s representatives had not commented on the verdict at the time of reporting.
