A Los Angeles jury has awarded nearly $13.9 million to a housekeeper and her family after finding R&B singer Chris Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, liable for negligence arising from a 2020 dog attack at Brown’s Tarzana, California, residence.
The verdict followed a two-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, where jurors concluded that Maria Avila sustained catastrophic injuries after Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd kept on the property, attacked her while she was taking out the trash.
The jury awarded Maria Avila approximately $12.9 million in compensatory damages. Her sister, Patricia Avila, received $885,000 for emotional distress, while Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000 for loss of consortium.
Avila alleged Brown failed to protect employees from a dangerous animal despite knowing the risks. Brown disputed that claim, maintaining the dog served as a security animal rather than a personal pet. He testified that he warned Maria and Patricia Avila not to enter areas where the dogs were present without security personnel.
Both sisters denied receiving those instructions and testified that language differences made such a conversation unlikely.
Chris Brown Ordered To Pay $13 Million To Maria Avila In Dog Mauling Lawsuit
Jurors also heard testimony concerning Brown’s response after the attack. Brown testified that he found Maria Avila lying in “a lot of blood” and said, “The blood kind of freaked me out.” He further testified, “I’m in shock,” explaining his decision to leave the property because he feared creating a “media circus” if he remained while emergency responders arrived.
Maria Avila testified that the attack caused permanent physical injuries and lasting psychological trauma. According to her testimony, multiple surgeries and skin grafts left significant facial and arm scarring, limited mobility and post-traumatic stress that has prevented her from returning to housekeeping work.
Her daughter, Yoseline Espinoza, testified, “She’s not the same. She used to have a spark in her,” describing the emotional and social effects of her mother’s injuries.
Following the verdict, the family’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., said, “After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice. We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day.”
The civil judgment resolves the negligence claims tried before the jury. Brown separately faces unrelated criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom that remain pending.
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