A jury has ordered singer Chris Brown to pay nearly $13 million to a former housekeeper who was severely injured in an attack by his dog in December 2020. The ruling came Tuesday after a trial in Van Nuys, California.
Jurors found Brown and his company, Pyramid LLC, liable for $12.9 million in damages to Maria Avila, who was mauled by Brown's dog, Hades, at his Tarzana, California, residence. Avila's sister, Patricia, who was also present during the attack, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress.
Avila's spouse, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000 for loss of consortium. Avila had filed a lawsuit seeking $90 million in 2021.
During testimony, Avila described the severe injuries she sustained, stating she would "never be the same again." Her daughter, Yoseline Espinoza, testified that Patricia Avila had called her in distress immediately after the attack, saying their mother was having difficulty breathing and losing consciousness.
Brown testified that he saw significant injuries and bleeding on Avila's face following the attack. He described the wound as a "cut, like severed," where the skin was raised and blood was visible. He stated that he left the residence before first responders arrived on the advice of his manager, citing concerns about his public image.
"I didn't want a misleading story, or like a circus, from my status. It's pretty sticky when it comes to that. So me staying out of the way was advised," Brown told the court.
Brown acknowledged partial liability but argued that Avila's injuries were overstated. He claimed that Avila and her sister had been warned about the dogs' aggression and advised to approach them only with security personnel. He further stated that Hades was acquired to secure the premises due to past stalker-related incidents.
Avila's legal documents stated that the dog attacked her face, hand, and foot, causing damage to flesh and bone and leaving her with multiple permanent injuries. She also testified that Brown left the scene following the attack, contradicting his claims that she had been instructed not to go outside.
In a pretrial deposition, Brown stated he was alerted to the attack by the sound of his dog growling. He recounted going downstairs, ensuring Avila was breathing, and then securing the dogs before instructing a security guard to assist. He confirmed he left the scene after being informed medical help was on the way.
The dog, identified as a Central Asian Ovcharka, was taken by a security guard to Humboldt County and later euthanized after being found by officials. The notes also mentioned that potential jurors were dismissed if they expressed negative views of Brown, citing his 2009 felony assault conviction related to an incident involving Rihanna.