“I will never be the same again”: Chris Brown’s former housekeeper’s words to the jury came right before his $13 million bill

A Los Angeles jury has ordered Chris Brown to pay $13 million in damages following a dog attack that left his former housekeeper with lasting injuries. The verdict, which closed out a two week trial on June 30, resolves a case brought by Maria Avila, who was mauled by the singer’s 200 pound Caucasian shepherd, Hades, in 2020. As detailed by LADbible, the jury’s decision followed years of legal back and forth between Avila and the singer.

The attack happened while Avila was working as a housekeeper at Brown’s home in Tarzana, California. She was emptying the trash when the dog attacked her, leaving her with severe disfigurement, including deep, permanent scarring that runs from beneath her left eye across her forehead. The damage to her left forearm was extensive enough that surgeons had to graft skin from her abdomen to repair it, and she still struggles with limited mobility and reduced arm strength that keeps her from returning to work.

During the trial, Avila walked to the jury box to show jurors the physical evidence of the attack on her face and arm. She told them, “I will never be the same again.” Beyond the physical damage, she has developed post-traumatic stress that makes it difficult for her to be around dogs, a common aftereffect of severe animal attacks.

The physical scars only tell half of what happened

The financial judgment breaks down across three people affected by the attack. Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, must pay $12.9 million to Avila for negligence, $885,000 to her sister Patricia for emotional distress, and $50,000 to her husband, Oscar Olivo. Patricia was present when the attack occurred. The ruling lands in the same week as several other steep civil penalties, including Amazon’s FTC identity theft settlement.

Brown had argued during the trial that Avila provoked the dog and bore responsibility for her own injuries. He also claimed Hades was kept for security purposes rather than as a pet. In his testimony, Brown said he was about to shower when he heard the dog growling and found Avila lying motionless in what he described as a lot of blood, adding that the sight “freaked me out.” He said he had previously warned Avila and Patricia to only go outside when security was present, a claim the sisters denied.

Evidence presented at trial indicated that rather than calling 911 or attending to Avila himself, Brown reportedly left the property and drove around for several hours. He had admitted some culpability before the trial began, though the jury’s final award reflects the severity jurors found in his negligence. Avila’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr, said, “We are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia,” in comments to Billboard, adding that the family was relieved after years of litigation.

The verdict arrives during a busy stretch for Brown, who recently began a co-headlining stadium tour with Usher across the US this summer. He also faces a separate legal matter in the UK, with a court appearance scheduled for October over an unrelated case involving an alleged unprovoked attack on music producer Abraham Diaw in 2003.

California holds dog owners to strict standards in cases like this one. Under California Civil Code Section 3342, owners are strictly liable for injuries their dogs cause, so a victim does not need to prove the owner was negligent or that the dog had shown prior aggression, according to attorneys who cover California dog bite law. The law applies regardless of breed, since California has no statewide breed specific legislation. Elsewhere in the state this week, a Central Valley grower made headlines for a free nectarine giveaway amid a separate dispute with a produce distributor.

Victims of dog attacks in California have a two year window from the date of the incident to file a personal injury claim.