A judge has declared a mistrial in the $90 million lawsuit filed against Chris Brown, in which the singer was accused of being responsible for a dog attack involving a former housekeeper.
According to USA Today, the ruling was made on Tuesday during the second day of the trial after Judge Huey P. Cotton identified juror misconduct as the reason for stopping proceedings.
“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,” Cotton reportedly said.
Following the ruling, the judge instructed attorneys to remain in court so that the process of selecting a new jury could begin immediately, effectively restarting the case from the beginning.
The lawsuit dates back to 2021, when Chris Brown’s former housekeeper, Patricia Avila, alleged that a 2020 incident involving the singer’s Caucasian shepherd dog resulted in serious injuries to her sister, Maria Avila.
The complaint claims the dog attacked Maria Avila while she was cleaning, tearing “three to four inches of skin” from her face and also biting her legs and face, leading to both physical and emotional trauma.
The plaintiffs, including Maria Avila and her family members, are seeking $90 million in damages. Chris Brown has denied the allegations and rejected the claims made against him.
While the legal case continues to face delays, Brown’s personal and professional life has also remained in the spotlight. In April, he and Jada Wallace welcomed their first child together.
At the same time, the 37-year-old singer is preparing for a major co-headlining tour with Usher, titled the Raymond and Brown Tour, which is scheduled to begin on June 26 and conclude on December 12.
