“We can either retry it, or you can agree,” the judge told both sides this week. “I just need a decision.”
Chris Brown was ordered to pay $12.9 million in damages to his former housekeeper, Maria Avila, who was mauled by a massive dog outside his Los Angeles home in 2020. Now, a judge appears ready to significantly reduce that amount.
What Happened at the Hearing
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton heard arguments from Avila’s attorney this week but repeatedly indicated he was not persuaded to change his tentative order. According to that unpublished order, the reduction would amount to nearly 40 percent of the jury’s award, more than $5 million, bringing the total down to roughly $8 million.
Avila’s attorney, Nancy Doumanian, pushed back on the scale of that cut. “If your honor is convinced that some scaling back is warranted, then I’d ask for a lesser reduction,” she told the court, according to Rolling Stone’s coverage of the hearing.
The judge has reportedly struggled to be convinced that Avila suffered permanent damages, though her attorney noted that a surgeon testified to that effect during trial. Cotton’s response left little room for further debate: “We can either retry it, or you can agree. I just need a decision.”
The Original Attack and Trial
The case stems from an incident on December 12, 2020, at Brown’s property in a residential section of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. Avila, who worked as a housekeeper at the home, was attacked by a large dog while taking out the trash.
Brown had already admitted negligence under California’s dog-bite statute before the trial began, meaning the legal fight centered not on whether he was responsible, but on how much he owed. His legal team argued Avila bore some responsibility for the incident and disputed the severity of her injuries.
During her testimony in June, Avila broke down describing the attack and its aftermath. “I will never be the same again,” she told jurors, according to Rolling Stone, describing extensive scarring, nerve damage and post-traumatic stress. She also testified that surgeons harvested skin from her abdomen to graft onto her arm.
A jury ultimately awarded Avila $12.9 million for negligence. Her sister, Patricia Avila, who was working alongside her that day, was separately awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000 after arguing his wife’s injuries affected their marriage.
What Comes Next
Brown’s attorneys have already filed a motion seeking a new trial, arguing the original award was excessive. With no immediate decision reached at this week’s hearing, the case remains in legal limbo well beyond the original June verdict, and both sides now face a choice between agreeing to a reduced figure or heading back to court.
