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By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong/ Image @ BBC
US singer Chris Brown has been held legally responsible for a brutal dog attack that seriously injured his housekeeper at his California residence in 2020.
After a two-week civil trial in Los Angeles, jurors ruled in favour of Maria Avila, who suffered devastating injuries when a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd named Hades attacked her while she was taking out rubbish at Brown’s home in Tarzana.
The court found Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, negligent and awarded Avila $12.9 million in damages.
Court records showed the animal tore away large portions of Avila’s skin, leaving her with permanent facial disfigurement, extensive scarring, impaired vision and lasting nerve damage.
Brown maintained that Hades was used as a guard dog rather than a personal pet.
Jurors also heard testimony that the singer left the property instead of contacting emergency responders or assisting the victim, allegedly fearing widespread media attention if he was present when authorities arrived.
Employees at the residence reportedly provided aid until paramedics reached the scene.
Giving evidence, Brown said he had been preparing to shower when he heard growling and discovered Avila lying in blood. He admitted feeling overwhelmed and said he followed advice from his manager to leave before police arrived.
Although Brown acknowledged some responsibility before proceedings began, he challenged the severity of Avila’s injuries and argued that she shared blame for the incident.
He claimed he had warned the two sisters to avoid the dogs unless security staff were nearby because the animals were unfriendly.
Maria Avila and her sister denied receiving such instructions, telling the court that language differences would have made that conversation unlikely.
Brown also testified that security personnel acquired and cared for the dog because of concerns over repeated trespassing and stalking incidents at his property.
Using a Spanish interpreter, Avila described the physical and emotional impact of the attack, saying skin grafts taken from her abdomen were used to reconstruct her arm, leaving her with reduced mobility.
She added that the trauma has prevented her from returning to housekeeping work and left her fearful of dogs.
The court also awarded Avila’s sister, Patricia, $885,000, while Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000 in separate damages.
Patricia’s lawyer, Michael C. Murphy, welcomed the verdict, saying the judgment delivered long-awaited justice after more than five years of legal proceedings.
Brown is currently touring the United States with R&B star Usher.
He is also due to stand trial in the United Kingdom in October over allegations that he assaulted a music producer with a bottle at a London nightclub in 2023.
Brown and co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu were granted bail after appearing before a UK court earlier this year.
