Chris Brown Granted New Trial in Dog Attack Lawsuit

Singer Chris Brown has been granted a new trial in a lawsuit filed by his former housekeeper, Maria Avila, who was mauled by his dog at his California residence. A jury had previously ordered Brown to pay Avila $12.9 million in damages following the 2020 incident. The dog, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd guard dog named Hades, attacked Avila while she was taking out the trash at Brown's Tarzana home. Avila sustained severe injuries, including "large chunks of skin" torn from her arm and face, requiring multiple sutures and skin grafts. She also testified to suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve damage, which has impacted her ability to work. Chris Brown, who was present during the attack, stated he had placed the dog in a kennel afterward and admitted to being "freaked out" by the amount of blood. The initial trial concluded with the jury awarding Avila $13 million. However, Brown's legal team subsequently filed court documents arguing that the judge's decision to allow testimony regarding his past assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna unfairly influenced the jury's verdict. The new ruling from Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton conditionally grants a new trial specifically on the issue of damages. The ruling states that a new trial can be avoided if Avila agrees to a reduced award of $9.5 million. Judge Cotton's decision acknowledged evidence presented regarding "extensive future emotional distress, humiliation, shame and embarrassment, and other lesser items of future non-economic damages, including some persistent pain from nerve damage." The initial award of $12.9 million was intended to compensate Avila for her injuries and ongoing suffering. The property where the incident occurred is valued at $6 million. The musician, identified as being 37 years old, is now subject to a retrial to determine a potentially revised compensation amount, unless Avila accepts the reduced settlement. The legal proceedings highlight the significant financial and emotional repercussions of animal attacks, particularly involving large guard dogs, and the complexities of legal arguments concerning admissible evidence in civil trials.