California Jury Orders Chris Brown to Pay $12.9 Million for 2020 Dog Mauling Negligence
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Jul 1
California Jury Orders Chris Brown to Pay $12.9 Million for 2020 Dog Mauling Negligence
3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Jul 1
Summary
$12.9 million in damages was awarded to housekeeper Maria Avila after a California jury found Chris Brown and Black Pyramid LLC negligent in the 2020 attack by Brown’s security dog.
Avila told jurors the mauling left severe arm and facial injuries, extensive scarring, PTSD and nerve damage that ended her work as a housekeeper because she can no longer handle physical tasks or be around dogs.
Brown had already admitted negligence under California’s dog-bite statute but fought the scale of damages and argued Avila was partly at fault; he testified he did not call 911 or stay for paramedics because he feared media fallout.
Patricia Avila, who was working with her sister during the attack, received $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria Avila’s husband Oscar Olivo was awarded $50,000, capping more than five years of litigation over the Tarzana incident.