Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to a former housekeeper after a Los Angeles jury found him liable in a dog attack case stemming from a 2020 incident at his home.
The verdict, reached on June 30, 2026, came after a retrial in Los Angeles. Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, were found responsible for $12.9 million in damages to Maria Avila, who said she was mauled while taking out the trash at the singer’s property.
The case had already been through a turbulent legal path. A mistrial was declared in mid-June 2026 after juror misconduct disrupted the first trial, forcing the matter back before a new jury.
Avila said she had been working at Brown’s Los Angeles home when the attack happened. According to her lawsuit, Brown’s Caucasian shepherd, Hades, suddenly attacked her. She alleged the dog tore off “large chunks of her skin,” leaving her with permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, vision loss and nerve damage.
Avila had been working alongside her sister, Patricia Avila, that day. The pair filed suit in 2021, initially seeking $90 million in damages.
Before the retrial, Brown acknowledged some responsibility for negligence but disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries and argued that she was partly at fault.
Testifying during the trial, Brown said he warned the sisters that the dogs on the property were not safe to approach and that they were not supposed to go outside without security present.
“absolutely not”
He also told jurors that Hades was not his personal pet and said the animal was being looked after by security because of concerns over intruders and attempted break-ins.
“I get a lot of stalker-type situations,” he told the jury.
In the end, the jury ruled Brown liable for the attack. Maria’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., said Brown and Black Pyramid LLC must pay her $12.9 million.
Patricia Avila was also awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, while Maria’s husband, Oscar Olivo, is set to receive $50,000.
Murphy told Billboard:
“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. It was an honor to represent her.”