A Los Angeles jury has found American singer Chris Brown liable for negligence in a civil lawsuit stemming from a 2020 dog attack that seriously injured his former housekeeper, Maria Avila.
The verdict, delivered after a two-week trial, requires Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, to pay Avila $12.9 million in damages, according to Billboard.
Avila sued Brown after she was attacked by a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd named Hades while taking out the rubbish at Brown’s home in Tarzana, California. She told the court that the dog caused severe injuries, including permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, vision loss and nerve damage.
Brown’s representatives had not commented on the verdict at the time of reporting.
During the trial, Brown maintained that the dog was kept for security purposes rather than as a personal pet. He also argued that he had warned workers, including Avila and her sister Patricia, not to go outside unless security personnel were present because the dogs were not friendly.
However, Avila and Patricia denied receiving such a warning, with both women telling the court that language differences would have made such a conversation unlikely.
Court proceedings also heard testimony that Brown left the property after the attack instead of contacting emergency services. According to reports from Rolling Stone, Brown told the jury he left on the advice of his manager, who was concerned his presence could attract media attention.
Brown testified that he had been preparing to shower when he heard the dog growling and found Avila on the ground covered in blood.
“The blood kind of freaked me out,” Brown said, adding that he was in shock at the time.
Although Brown acknowledged some responsibility before the trial, he disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries and argued that she bore part of the responsibility for the incident.
Speaking through an interpreter, Avila described the lasting impact of the attack, telling the court she underwent multiple surgeries, including skin grafts from her abdomen to repair her arm. She said the injuries have left her with permanent scars, reduced mobility and post-traumatic stress, preventing her from returning to work as a housekeeper.
The jury also awarded Patricia $885,000 in damages, while Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000, according to Billboard.
Patricia’s lawyer, Michael C. Murphy, welcomed the verdict.
“After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia,” Murphy said. “We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day.”
Representatives for Maria Avila and Oscar Olivo had not issued public statements following the verdict.
