For the last two years, R&B singer Chris Brown has been in court defending himself against his former housekeeper. Recently, a judge sided with him in what seems to be a victory for his legal team. The case has been pushed back three months.
Maria Avila, who filed her lawsuit as Jane Doe, claims he attempted to cover up an incident where his dog allegedly attacked her and is asking for a judge to award her $71 million in damages.
About The Suit
The lawsuit, originally filed in July 2021, centers on an incident that happened in his Tarzana, California, residence in December 2020.
According to the complaint, the star allowed his Caucasian Orvchake/Caucasian Shepherd dog named Hades to freely roam throughout his home without a leash, Radar Online reported.
The Attack
According to court documents, one day, when she went to put out the trash, the pet “viciously and brutally” attacked her, biting her in the face, on her arms, and other parts of her body “savagely.” She alleged the dog ripped out chunks of her skin from her face and arm during the encounter, causing her to bleed profusely.
The housekeeper says the attack was unprovoked, and she wants him to be forced to pay her medical expenses and compensate her for emotional and mental distress.
She alleged in her lawsuit that Brown instantly went into protection mode and told his “security team to destroy evidence and flee the scene,” making sure all of his dogs were taken off the property. The ex-housekeeper also says that the artist disposed of the dog in an effort to cover up the incident.
The woman also said that Brown admitted to officers that Hades was his dog and that he was responsible for anything he did but had no idea that he hurt her or that he was removed from the property.
The Trial
After a slight stall, the trial was initially set for Sept. 26, 2023. The defense submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court judge presiding over to push the trial back to December, according to court documents.
Brown’s lawyers argued that waiting the additional months would not hurt the case, nor cause harm to the ex-housekeeper. They also noted that since the woman’s alleged injuries are still being treated under workers’ compensation, there is no accurate way to assess the damages for her claims.
The Second Lawsuit
Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, is also suing Brown, claiming that she was traumatized by watching her sister be mauled by Hades. This lawsuit is for an undisclosed amount, according to Rolling Stone.
Countering this complaint, Brown’s defense team is asking that a judge require her to sit for an eight-hour mental examination to assess how traumatized she actually is, Radar Online reports. The artist’s lawyers are asking for the courts to intervene as Patricia Avila has not cooperated with them to schedule the examination. They say they have reached out several times to set her up with a medical professional that they have selected.
Patricia Avila says she also worked with her sister in Brown’s home.
Brown says Patricia Avila was not close when “her sister was allegedly injured.”
Bad Boy
This is not the first time R&B’s bad boy has made headlines. In February 2009, he made national headlines for beating up his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was charged with felony assault and was sentenced to five years of probation and domestic violence counseling after accepting a plea deal. While on probation, he would be put in the spotlight for fights, squabbles, and other minor violations of his parole agreements, including drug use, until 2013 when he entered a rehab facility.
A year later, the world was shocked when the artist was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress order, according to People magazine.
Recently, he was in the news after rumors alleged he and another star, Usherl, got into a fight around his birthday.
The Potential Damage
The lawsuit poses a dire threat to Brown’s massive fortune. Since his debut album in 2005, the singer has given his fans 10 studio albums and has gone platinum multiple times.
With an estimated net worth of $50 million, should Maria Avila win the case, it could ruin the controversial 34-year-old’s finances.
