California jury sides with Maria Avila over 2020 attack that left her requiring skin grafts
Chris Brown Ordered to Pay $12.9 Million Over Dog Attack on Housekeeper
A jury has ordered R&B singer Chris Brown to pay $12.9 million in damages after his guard dog attacked a housekeeper at his California residence. The incident occurred in 2020 at Brown’s home in Tarzana, when Maria Avila was mauled by Hades, a Caucasian shepherd kept on the property for security purposes. Avila testified that the attack left her with severe injuries to her arm and face, requiring extensive stitching and skin grafts, along with lasting nerve damage and post-traumatic stress that has interfered with her ability to work.
Brown was present during the attack and later confined the dog to a kennel. Although his security staff called for an ambulance, Brown left the scene before it arrived, explaining in court that he wanted to avoid drawing media attention given his celebrity status. He defended keeping a guard dog by citing frequent encounters with stalkers, and while he acknowledged negligence, he claimed he had warned Avila and her sister about the dog’s danger — an account the sisters disputed. He also challenged the severity of Avila’s reported injuries.
The case, filed in 2021, concluded after five years of litigation. Alongside Maria Avila’s award, the jury granted her sister Patricia $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria’s husband Oscar Olivo received $50,000.
This lawsuit adds to a lengthy history of legal troubles for Brown, who remains one of the top-selling R&B artists in the US and is currently touring with Usher. Past incidents include his 2009 assault conviction involving Rihanna, a 2014 jail stint for violating probation, a settled assault claim from a former manager, and a restraining order sought by another ex-girlfriend. More recently, Brown faces a UK charge of grievous bodily harm following an alleged 2023 assault on a music producer, with trial proceedings set for October 2026. He has also pursued his own legal action — suing a woman over rape allegations and unsuccessfully attempting to sue the makers of a documentary about his history of violence, though a judge allowed his defamation case against his accuser to move forward