Chris Brown Ordered To Pay Nearly $13 Million After Los Angeles Jury Finds Him Liable In Dog Attack Lawsuit

R&B singer Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found him liable for negligence in a civil lawsuit stemming from a dog attack at his California home. The verdict follows a two-week trial in which jurors ruled in favour of Maria Avila, a housekeeper who suffered life-changing injuries after being mauled by a Caucasian shepherd owned by Brown at his Tarzana residence. The decision marks another significant legal setback for the Grammy-winning artist, who has faced several high-profile legal controversies throughout his career.

According to court proceedings reported by Billboard, Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, were ordered to pay $12.9 million in damages to Avila. The jury also awarded $885,000 to Avila’s sister, Patricia, and $50,000 to Maria’s husband, Oscar Olivo. The incident occurred while the sisters were working at Brown’s home, with Avila reportedly taking out the rubbish when she was attacked by the nearly 200-pound dog named Hades.

During the trial, Avila testified that the attack left her with permanent facial disfigurement, severe scarring, nerve damage, partial vision loss and lasting mobility issues after undergoing multiple surgeries, including skin grafts. She also told the court that she now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has been unable to return to work because of her injuries.

One of the most closely watched moments of the trial came when jurors heard testimony that Brown left the property after the attack rather than calling emergency services himself. According to reports from Rolling Stone, Brown told the court he panicked after seeing the extent of Avila’s injuries and followed his manager’s advice to leave because he feared his presence would create a “media circus.” Brown said he discovered Avila lying on the ground covered in blood after hearing the dog growling, adding that the scene left him in shock.

Brown maintained throughout the trial that the dog was not his personal pet but was kept by his security team to help protect the property from trespassers and stalkers. He also claimed he had warned the housekeepers that the dogs were not friendly and should only be approached when security personnel were present. However, Avila and her sister denied receiving such a warning, arguing that language barriers would have made that conversation unlikely.

The jury ultimately found Brown negligent and responsible for the injuries sustained during the attack.

Chris Brown first rose to international fame in 2005 with his self-titled debut album, producing hit singles including “Run It!”, which made him one of the youngest artists to top the Billboard Hot 100. Over the past two decades, he has built a successful career with multiple platinum albums, Grammy Awards and chart-topping songs such as “Forever,” “Look at Me Now,” “No Guidance,” and “Under the Influence.” Despite his commercial success, Brown’s career has frequently been overshadowed by legal troubles, most notably his 2009 felony assault case involving singer Rihanna, along with several other lawsuits and criminal investigations over the years.

The latest civil judgment comes as Brown is currently touring the United States. He is also expected to face a criminal trial in the United Kingdom later this year over allegations that he assaulted a music producer with a bottle at a London nightclub in 2023. Brown has denied wrongdoing in that case and was granted bail ahead of the scheduled proceedings.