Chris Brown took the witness stand on Thursday (June 18) in a trial over a dog attack at his home during which a housekeeper was mauled — and denied the woman’s claim that he “fled the scene” to avoid responsibility.

Brown was the first witness to testify in the case brought by Maria Avila, who was mauled by a 200-pound dog while working as a housekeeper at the R&B star’s Tarzana, Calif., home more than five years ago. The jury trial is being held in the San Fernando Valley, part of the Los Angeles metro area.

In December 2020, Avila was emptying trash outside Brown’s house when she was attacked by a Caucasian shepherd — a massive, aggressive breed notorious for being used as guard dogs at Russian prisons. Avila alleges that the dog, named Hades, ripped off “large chunks of her skin.” She’s seeking financial damages from the singer for her injuries, including permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, vision loss and nerve damage.

Brown has accepted some liability for negligence in the trial, but he disputes the extent of Avila’s injuries and claims that she’s partially at fault for the incident. Brown told the jury on Thursday that he personally warned Avila that multiple dogs on the property were “absolutely not” friendly, and that she shouldn’t go outside unless accompanied by security staff.

The star also testified that Hades was not his personal pet. Rather, he said the dog was purchased and looked after by his security guards to help protect the house from break-ins. “I get a lot of stalker-type situations,” he explained.

On the day of the incident, Brown testified that he was in his bedroom and heard a growl outside, after which he ran out to see Avila lying face down in the driveway, with Hades backing away. A portion of her face was “severed,” Brown said, and the bleeding was extensive. He checked to make sure Avila was breathing, and then his security guards called 9-1-1.

During cross-examination, Avila’s attorney, Nancy Doumanian, suggested that Brown “fled the scene” before paramedics or police arrived. Brown denied this and said his manager, Anthony “Ant” Wilson, told him to leave once an ambulance was on its way.

“I was advised to leave the property [to avoid] the publicity [of having] TMZ run the story,” testified Brown. “It would have been a circus because of my status as an artist. It’s pretty sticky when it comes to that. So me just kind of staying away was advised.”

Doumanian also asked Brown whether he’s ever been convicted of a felony, and he replied, “Yes, ma’am.” Brown pled guilty in 2009 to assaulting Rihanna, his then-girlfriend. The trial’s judge barred Doumanian from asking Brown about the details of his criminal record, including both the Rihanna matter and another pending case in the U.K., during the cross-examination.

Avila first sued Brown over the incident in 2021, alongside her sister and husband. The trial began on Monday (June 15), but Brown’s testimony was delayed by a few days after a juror improperly researched the case online. This led a judge to declare a mistrial and empanel a whole new jury.

The trial will likely continue for several more days before a verdict is reached.

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