Chris Brown Ordered to Pay Nearly $13 Million After Jury Sides With Former Housekeeper In Dog Attack Case

A jury has found Chris Brown liable in a civil lawsuit brought by his former housekeeper, ordering the singer to pay nearly $13 million in damages over a 2020 dog attack that left the woman permanently disfigured. 

The lawsuit was filed by former housekeeper Maria Avila, who alleged she was brutally attacked by a large Caucasian Shepherd while taking out the trash at Brown's Los Angeles-area home. According to court testimony, the attack caused devastating injuries to her face and arms, requiring extensive medical treatment and leaving permanent scarring. 

During the trial, Brown maintained that he had warned Avila to stay away from the dogs and argued that the animal belonged to his head of security rather than to him personally. However, jurors ultimately concluded Brown was negligent in failing to prevent the attack and held him legally responsible for the injuries sustained on his property. 

Brown also testified that he chose not to call 911 himself after the incident because he feared news of the emergency call would leak to the media. Instead, he said he asked his business manager to contact emergency services while he remained with Avila until additional help arrived. 

The verdict marks the latest legal setback for the Grammy-winning singer. The case had briefly been delayed after a mistrial was declared due to juror misconduct before being retried. Avila had originally sought up to $90 million in damages, but the jury ultimately awarded approximately $13 million. 

Neither Brown nor his legal team has announced whether they intend to appeal the judgment.