R&B star Chris Brown has been ordered to pay $12.9 million in damages after a jury found him negligent over a brutal dog attack that left his former housekeeper permanently disfigured.
A Los Angeles jury delivered the verdict on Tuesday in favour of Maria Avila, who was attacked by Brown’s 200-pound Caucasian shepherd, Hades, while taking out the trash at the singer’s home in 2020.
Avila had initially sought $90 million in damages, claiming Brown failed to properly restrain the dog, allowing it to roam freely around the property. She told the court she was covered in blood after the attack and suffered severe injuries that left her traumatised, with permanent scarring on her face and left arm, as well as limited mobility.
Brown denied negligence, arguing that Avila provoked the dog and caused her own injuries. During the trial, he described Hades as a guard dog rather than a pet and claimed he had warned the housekeepers about the animal. However, Avila and her sister denied receiving any warning, saying such a conversation could not have happened because of language barriers.
The singer also testified that he found Avila lying in a pool of blood after hearing the dog growling. He admitted he did not personally call 911 because he feared news of the incident would leak. Instead, a member of his team contacted emergency services. Brown further revealed he left the property before first responders arrived on the advice of his manager.
The jury also awarded additional damages to Avila’s family. Her sister, Patricia, received $885,000 for emotional distress, while her husband, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000.
Reacting to the verdict after five years of legal proceedings, Patricia’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., said, “We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day.”
