Case Intel
- The lawsuit against singer Chris Brown by his former housekeeper alleges he is liable for a vicious dog attack on his property and that his minimal response amounts to fleeing a dangerous scene.
- In his own sworn deposition, Brown admitted: “I didn’t touch her. I bent down and I looked. I was making sure she was breathing, and then from there, I ran and put the dogs away and yelled and told the security guard to come over.”
- The next step in court is his motion to strike two major claims in the complaint and the scheduling of discovery into his financial records ahead of trial.
LOS ANGELES, CA – The complaint filed by housekeeper Maria Avila relates to a December 12, 2020 incident at Brown’s Los Angeles residence, when she alleges a large brown dog mauled her as she took out the trash. Avila claims Brown walked outside, “stood over her while talking on the phone, and then left her ‘bleeding to death’ on the driveway” without rendering aid.
Brown’s version: he says he did not hear screams, did not see blood, and only left the area after being told by his manager that paramedics were en route. He insists he did not flee, but instead secured the dogs and summoned security.
From a legal-liability perspective under California’s strict dog-owner statute, the owner of a dog that causes injury is liable for damages “regardless of the dog’s previous viciousness or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.” Brown is now pressing for removal of Avila’s claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and punitive damages — a move that, if successful, would narrow the scope and potential exposure of the case.
Legal Analysis: Culpability and Liability
At the heart of this dispute is the question of how active or passive Brown’s involvement was at the moment of the injury, and whether his actions (or inactions) give rise to liability beyond standard dog-owner responsibility.
First, under the dog-bite statute (California Civil Code §3342), Brown’s ownership of the dog puts him on automatic liability footing for the injuries the dog inflicted if the injured person was lawfully on the premises. Avila alleges she was working lawfully. Brown therefore faces the government-mandated baseline liability for damages. Bisnar Chase Attorneys
Second, Brown’s deposition testimony introduces a narrative of presence + observation: “I bent down and I looked. I was making sure she was breathing…” This admission raises potential issues: while he denies touching her, his admission that he bent down to check her breathing suggests he recognized she was in a life-threatening condition, or at least a serious condition requiring assistance. That acknowledgement may help establish knowledge of danger.
Third, his next statement — “and then from there, I ran and put the dogs away and yelled and told the security guard to come over” — suggests he withdrew from the critical moment of aid. Even if he did not physically touch her, the act of removing the dangerous animals from the scene, summoning help, but not rendering direct assistance may be viewed as inadequate response. It raises questions of whether he “fled” the scene of an incident on his property rather than ensuring immediate care or intervention.
Fourth, from a greater-liability lens, the complaint alleges Brown “stood over her while talking on the phone, and then left her ‘bleeding to death’ on the driveway.” If proven, that could establish a degree of deliberate neglect or indifference in the face of a dangerous condition he controlled (his property, his dog). It also underpins the emotional-distress and punitive-damages claims he is attempting to strike.
Finally, Brown’s motion to dismiss the intentional-infliction and punitive-damage claims must be viewed in light of his deposition. If his statements contradict his legal argument that he did not observe serious injury, the plaintiff may argue that his own words show awareness of the danger and failure to act — bolstering her position. Thus, his own testimony may be a double-edged sword: helpful for narrowing claims, but potentially damaging for optics and liability exposure.
What Matters Now
- The court will soon address Brown’s motion to strike key parts of the complaint, which will determine whether Avila can pursue the more expansive claims (intentional emotional distress, punitive damages) or will be limited to standard dog-bite claims.
- Discovery into Brown’s financial status has already been requested by Avila’s side as she seeks to determine whether punitive damages may be warranted.
- The next practical step: depositions of Brown’s manager and security staff, as well as forensic review of when he reported the incident, how fast aid arrived, and whether his property’s dog-control protocols were adequate.
From a broader implications’ standpoint, the case highlights how a property owner’s physical presence and response (or failure to respond) to a dog attack can move liability beyond the baseline statute into potential punitive territory — especially where serious injury, disfigurement, and nerve damage are alleged. The outcome may also affect insurance and homeowner-policy exposure for celebrities whose estates include aggressive breed dogs and large residential staff.
