Chris Brown's Furious Ex-Housekeeper Demands Judge Force Scandal-Plagued Rapper To Sit for Grilling in 'Vicious' Dog Attack Lawsuit
Chris Brown's former housekeeper wants a judge to force the musician to sit for questioning in her lawsuit over a "vicious" dog attack.
Sept. 3 2024, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Chris Brown's former housekeeper is fed up with the ongoing delays in her multi-million-dollar lawsuit claiming she was "viciously" and "violently" attacked by the rapper's dog.
RadarOnline.com exclusively obtained court documents showing Maria Avila demanded the scandal-plagued singer be forced to sit for questioning so her case may finally move forward.
Avila accused Brown – who currently faces several other lawsuits – of failing to make himself and key witnesses available for deposition in the case that has now dragged on for years.
Maria Avila said Brown's Caucasian Shepherd, Hades, attacked her at the musician's LA home.
Her lawsuit alleges Brown's "aggressive" 200+ lbs Caucasian Shepherd, Hades, "brutally mauled, bit and attacked her" when she was working at his Los Angeles home in December 2020.
She was taking out the trash when Hades appeared "out of nowhere" and overpowered her.
The complaint included graphic photos of the "extensive injuries" she suffered in the attack that left her "on the ground bleeding profusely, with large chunks of skin missing from her face, arms, and body, and fearing she (was) going to die".
Avila also claimed "nerves and bones had been ripped off of her arms and face".
Avila says her nerves and bones were ripped from her face and arms during the attack.
Brown called 911 as he allegedly "instruct(ed) his security team to destroy evidence and flee the scene". Hades apparently had a microchip naming Brown's company, Black Pyramid, as his owner.
In a filing on August 26, Avila's lawyers said despite their repeated requests, "Chris Brown and Black Pyramid LLC are refusing to answer basic discovery" and that their "requests to confirm the depositions are being ignored by the defense counsel".
The document read: "(Avila's counsel) has made efforts to meet and confer to select a date for Defendant Chris Brown's deposition, as well as other Black Pyramid employee depositions, numerous times over the last year and have received no response from counsel to meet and confer."
Brown's lawyers previously argued their client had already testified in a case filed by Avila's sister, who sued for emotional distress over the dog attack.
In January, the court ruled any discovery from her sister's lawsuit would also apply to Avila's case.
The singer has denied Avila's allegations and claimed she provoked the dog.
But Avila's counsel was not present for Brown's deposition in the related case, "and was therefore not given an opportunity to cross-examine the defendant".
Their filing added: "The defendant also did not give notice to Plaintiff Maria Avila's counsel that the deposition of Chris Brown was confirmed and noticed for July 27, 2023, and therefore no appearance on behalf of Plaintiff Maria Avila was made."
Upon reviewing the transcripts from his deposition, Avila's attorneys said they had "a plethora of remaining questions that need to be addressed".
Brown had Hades euthanized after the attack, according to court records.
They asked the court to order Brown and his company to cooperate with the discovery process and moved for "an informal discovery conference with the court" on September 3 "regarding (the) defendants' deficient discovery responses and the defendants' production of the defendant Chris Brown and party related witnesses for deposition".
They also want the defense to make Black Pyramid employees and Brown's security guards who were present on the day of the dog attack available for questioning.
In a response filed four days later, attorney Kenneth Ruttenberg said he was in the process of being swapped out for Michael Schonbuch as Brown's legal representative.
Ruttenberg said he "repeatedly told counsel for (Avila) that defense counsel was changing, but Plaintiff set the (conference) anyway and declined to continue it".
Avila made her request, he said, "with minimal notice, without asking (Brown's) counsel if they were available on that date".
Due to a conflicting hearing the same day, Brown's lawyer asked for the matter to be postponed "for a few weeks to allow new defense counsel to appear in the case and get up to speed".
Avila filed her $70million lawsuit against Brown in April of 2021 for injury liability, negligence, emotional distress, and violation of a California dog bite statute, among other allegations.
She said Hades "had mauled, bitten, and attacked others on two or more separate occasions prior to its mauling, biting, and attack on (Avila)".
Brown has denied her allegations and said "he had no advance knowledge that the dog might be dangerous", claiming "the dog had never before bitten or attacked anyone".
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He accused Avila of causing herself to be injured by provoking Hades.
But the state's civil code states: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness."
According to court records, Brown had the dog euthanized and Avila said she believed this was done out of "fear for criminal prosecution or other culpability".
Her lawsuit also said Avila "remains under a doctor’s care and will suffer permanent and debilitating injuries".
The civil case is currently scheduled to go to trial on January 27, 2025.
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