Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to his former housekeeper after she was viciously mauled by one of his dogs in December 2020.
Maria Avila, who worked for Brown at his house in Tarzana, California, sued the R&B star in 2021 after she was attacked by his Caucasian shepherd guard dog, Hades, while she was taking out the trash.
After a five-year legal battle, the case finally ended Tuesday, with a Los Angeles jury siding with Avila, according to court documents reviewed by Billboard. Brown, who was home during the attack, was found liable for negligence and ordered to pay $12.9 million to Avila. Avila’s sister, Patricia, who also worked for Brown, was separately awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, as was Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, who was awarded another $50,000.
During the trial in Van Nuys, Avila testified that Hades ripped off “large chunks of her skin,” requiring her to undergo dozens of sutures and skin grafts from her abdomen to her arm. She also said that the attack left her with post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve damage, making it difficult to work.
Ahead of the two-week trial, Brown conceded partial responsibility for the attack but disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries and argued that she was partially at fault.
The “Forever” artist claimed in court that he had previously warned Avila and Patricia that the dogs on the property were “absolutely not” friendly and that they should not go outside alone without security staff. The sisters, however, denied the conversation ever occurred.
Brown further testified that Hades was not his personal pet but belonged to his security team as a protective measure against home break-ins. “I get a lot of stalker-type situations,” he told the jury, per Billboard.
After the attack, Brown said that he secured the dog in a kennel while a member of his security called an ambulance. The Guardian reported that Brown left before medics arrived, telling the jury that he did so to avoid a “media circus, because of my status as an artist … so me just kind of staying away was advised.”
Hades was later euthanized by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Animal Shelter after the agency found the dog to be “dangerous and vicious,” the original lawsuit stated.
The Independent has contacted Brown’s representatives for comment.
Following the ruling, Patricia’s lawyer, Michael C. Murphy Jr., told 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.”
Read MoreHollywood director jailed after scamming Netflix for £8m
Trump pays heartfelt tribute after pop star’s death
Canada to make historic Eurovision song contest debut at Bulgaria 2027
