R&B star Chris Brown has been ordered by a California jury to pay $12.9 million in damages to Maria Avila, a housekeeper who was mauled by a dog at one of his properties in 2020. The attack left Avila with severe injuries requiring skin grafts and ongoing medical issues.
Details of the Attack
Avila was working at Brown’s home in Tarzana, California, when she was attacked by Hades, a Caucasian shepherd used as a guard dog. During the trial in Van Nuys, Avila testified that she suffered serious injuries to her arm and face, requiring dozens of sutures and skin grafts from her abdomen to her arm. She also reported post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve damage that hindered her ability to work.
Brown was present during the attack. In his testimony, he stated that he secured the dog in a kennel after it injured Avila. His security guard called an ambulance, but Brown left before it arrived, explaining 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.”
Legal Arguments and Verdict
Brown argued that the guard dog was necessary due to “a lot of stalker-type situations.” He admitted negligence but claimed he had warned Avila and her sister Patricia not to go outside without asking him because of the danger posed by Hades. The Avilas denied that such a conversation took place. Brown also disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries.
Avila sued Brown in 2021, and the trial concluded with the jury siding with the Avilas. According to Billboard, Patricia Avila was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000.
Michael C Murphy Jr., Patricia’s lawyer, told Rolling Stone: “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.”
Brown’s Career and Legal History
Brown remains one of the most successful R&B artists in the US, with eight of his 12 albums certified platinum. He is currently co-headlining a tour with Usher, with stadium dates across the US and Canada.
The dog attack is the latest in a series of legal issues for Brown. In 2009, he was arrested for assaulting his then-girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna. He pleaded guilty, receiving community service, a restraining order, and five years of probation. He violated probation in 2014 and was jailed for 131 days. In 2016, he settled an assault claim by a former manager, and in 2017, another girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, obtained a restraining order against him.
In 2023, Brown was alleged to have assaulted music producer Abraham Diaw at a members’ club in Mayfair, London. He was arrested in 2025 and charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, pleading not guilty at Southwark Crown Court. His trial is set to begin on 26 October alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, also known as musician HoodyBaby.
Brown has also sued a woman for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of rape on a yacht in Miami in 2020. He attempted to launch a $500 million lawsuit against the makers of the documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence, which featured details of the alleged assault. That lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in January, who argued the film provided balance, but the judge allowed Brown’s lawsuit against his accuser to proceed.
