Shocking mistrial declared in $90M Chris Brown lawsuit involving dog ‘Hades’

A $90-million civil lawsuit against Chris Brown collapsed into a mistrial this week after a juror allegedly violated court rules by searching the internet for case details and sharing the information with other jurors, forcing the trial to restart almost immediately after it began.

The case stems from a December 2020 incident at Brown’s Tarzana, California home, where former housekeeper Maria Avila claims she was violently attacked by the singer’s Caucasian shepherd dog, “Hades,” while taking out the trash.

Avila alleges she suffered serious physical injuries along with lasting emotional trauma.

The trial got underway on Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court but quickly unraveled.

Judge Huey P. Cotton told the courtroom that one juror ignored clear instructions not to look up information about the case and then relayed what he found to others, contaminating the panel.

“Unfortunately, one of the jurors has violated my admonitions against searching the internet for information, and not only that, but he also shared it, and as a consequence, I have to declare a mistrial,” the judge said.

With the jury dismissed, attorneys were instructed to begin selecting a new panel from prospective jurors already waiting for assignment.

Brown’s attorney requested a delay so he could travel to Las Vegas to see his newborn child.

He is expected to return to court Thursday morning.

The dog involved in the incident was later euthanized in Northern California around 12 days after the attack, after being found roaming in rural Humboldt County.

Authorities previously described the case as a “high-profile” attack and reported that the victim required 80 stitches to her face and arms.

Despite the mistrial, the lawsuit remains active.

Brown, who was present in court, responded briefly to TMZ when asked about the outcome, saying, “It happens.”

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