A California jury has ordered American singer Chris Brown to pay $13 million in damages to a housekeeper who was mauled by a massive security dog on his property in December 2020. The verdict, reached on Tuesday, June 30, after a two-week trial, favored Maria Avila, who was viciously attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd owned by Brown, while she was emptying trash outside the singer’s Tarzana, California, home.
Details of the Verdict
According to Maria Avila’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, are liable to pay $12.9 million to Avila for negligence. In addition, Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was also working at the time of the attack, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress. Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received a separate award of $50,000.
Murphy expressed satisfaction with the outcome, telling Billboard: “After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia. We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day. It was an honor to represent her.”
Brown’s Defense and Testimony
During the trial, Brown argued that Hades was kept solely for security purposes and was not his personal pet. However, jurors may have been swayed by testimony suggesting that instead of calling 911 or helping Avila after the attack, Brown fled the blood-soaked scene and spent hours driving around. He left his employees to contact emergency services and assist Avila, explaining that he feared his involvement would spark a “media circus” if his voice was heard on the 911 call or if he was present when police arrived.
Brown had admitted some culpability before the trial began but testified in court that he had warned Avila and her sister about the dogs and told them only to go outside in the presence of security. The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting that language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely.
Impact on Brown’s Tour
The verdict comes just four days after Brown began a co-headlining tour with Usher, which is set to play in stadiums across the United States this summer. The legal outcome may cast a shadow over his professional engagements as he faces the financial consequences of the incident.
