US singer Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found him legally responsible for a dog attack that seriously injured his housekeeper at his California home in 2020.
The verdict followed a two-week civil trial in which the jury ruled in favor of Maria Avila, who was attacked by a 200-pound (90kg) Caucasian shepherd named Hades while taking out the trash at Brown’s residence in Tarzana, California.
According to the ruling, Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, must pay Avila $12.9 million in compensation for negligence. The court concluded that they were responsible for the circumstances that led to the attack.
Avila told the court that the dog inflicted devastating injuries, tearing away large sections of skin and leaving her with permanent facial disfigurement, extensive scarring, partial vision loss and nerve damage.
During the trial, Brown argued that Hades was a guard dog used to protect the property rather than a personal pet. He also maintained that the animal was cared for by his security team because of ongoing concerns about trespassers and stalkers.
Court testimony revealed that after the attack, Brown left the property instead of calling emergency services or personally assisting the injured housekeeper. He said he was advised to leave because his presence could attract intense media attention and complicate the emergency response.
Brown told jurors he discovered Avila covered in blood after hearing the dog growling. He admitted that the scene left him shocked but insisted he followed the advice of his manager before emergency responders arrived.
Although Brown acknowledged some responsibility before the trial, he disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries and argued that she had ignored warnings about the dogs. However, Avila and her sister denied receiving any such warning, stating that language differences would have made that conversation unlikely.
Speaking through an interpreter, Avila described the lasting impact of the attack. She explained that surgeons used skin grafts from her abdomen to reconstruct her injured arm, but she continues to suffer from limited mobility, visible scars and psychological trauma that prevents her from being around dogs. She also told the court she has been unable to return to work because of her injuries.
The jury also awarded $885,000 to Avila’s sister, Patricia, who was present during the incident, while Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received an additional $50,000 in damages.
Brown is currently touring the United States alongside R&B artist Usher. Separately, the singer is due to stand trial in the United Kingdom in October over allegations that he assaulted a music producer with a bottle during a London nightclub incident in 2023. Brown has denied wrongdoing in that case and remains on bail pending trial.
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