R&B star Chris Brown has been ordered to pay $12.9m in damages to a housekeeper who was mauled by a canine at certainly one of his properties.
Maria Avila was working at Brown’s home in Tarzana, California, in 2020 when she was attacked by Hades, a Caucasian shepherd used as a guard canine. On the trial in Van Nuys, California, Avila mentioned she was left with critical accidents to her arm and face, requiring dozens of sutures and pores and skin grafts from her stomach to her arm. She mentioned was additionally left with post-traumatic stress dysfunction, and nerve harm which made it tough to work.
Brown was at house in the course of the assault, and in his personal testimony mentioned he secured the canine in a kennel after it injured Avila. His safety guard known as an ambulance however Brown left earlier than it arrived, telling the courtroom he did so to keep away from a “media circus, due to my standing as an artist … so me simply sort of staying away was suggested”.
He argued the guard canine was crucial as a result of “I get quite a lot of stalker-type conditions”. Brown admitted negligence, however mentioned he had warned Avila and her sister Patricia to not go outdoors with out asking him due to the hazard posed by Hades, although the Avilas denied this dialog passed off. Brown additionally disputed the extent of Avila’s accidents.
Avila sued Brown in 2021 however the trial has solely now been accomplished, with a jury siding with the Avilas. In accordance with Billboard, Patricia Avila was additionally awarded $885,000 for emotional misery, and Maria’s husband Oscar Olivo awarded $50,000.
Michael C Murphy Jr, a lawyer for Patricia, informed Rolling Stone: “After greater than 5 years of litigating towards Chris Brown, we’re thrilled that we had been in a position to get justice for our consumer, Patricia. We’re so comfortable for her and her household after every part they went via on that horrible day.”
Brown has lengthy been one of the profitable R&B artists within the US, with eight of his 12 albums licensed platinum there. He’s at present on a co-headlining tour with Usher, with stadium dates throughout the US and Canada.
The canine assault is the most recent in a protracted line of lawsuits and felony trials confronted by Brown.
In 2009, Brown was arrested for bodily assaulting his then girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna, and after a responsible plea he was sentenced to group service, a restraining order and placed on probation for 5 years. He violated the phrases of his probation whereas in 2014 and was jailed for 131 days. In 2016 he settled out of courtroom after a declare of assault by a former supervisor, and one other girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, was granted a restraining order towards Brown in 2017.
In 2023, Brown was alleged to have assaulted a music producer, Abraham Diaw, at a members’ membership in Mayfair, London. Brown was arrested in 2025 and charged with grievous bodily hurt with intent, and he pleaded not responsible at Southwark crown courtroom. His trial will start on the similar courtroom on 26 October, alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, AKA musician HoodyBaby.
Brown has himself sued a lady for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of rape on a yacht in Miami in 2020. Brown had additionally tried to launch a $500m lawsuit towards the makers of a documentary, Chris Brown: A Historical past of Violence, which featured particulars of the alleged assault. That lawsuit was dismissed by a decide in January, who argued that the movie offered stability, however the decide allowed Brown’s lawsuit towards his accuser to proceed to the following stage.
