Cardi B Found Not Liable In $24M Assault Lawsuit

Cardi B emerged victorious on Sept. 2, successfully defeating the $24 million assault lawsuit filed against her by former security guard Emani Ellis. According to the Associated Press, the five-day trial—filled with witness testimonies—began on Aug. 26 and concluded with a swift verdict. A jury of six men and six women at a small courthouse in Alhambra, Calif., deliberated for only about an hour on Tuesday before finding Cardi not liable. Ellis had accused the Grammy-winning rapper of cutting her face with a fingernail and spitting on her during an argument at a Beverly Hills obstetrician’s office in February 2018.

Although only nine of the 12 jurors were needed to reach a verdict in the civil case, the decision in Cardi’s favor was unanimous.

“I will say it in my deathbed. I did not touch that woman,” the 32-year-old rapper told reporters outside the courtroom after the verdict. “I did not touch that girl. I didn’t lay my hands on that girl.”

Cardi, who shared that she missed her children’s first day of school due to the trial, also issued a warning to anyone considering filing a baseless lawsuit against her in the future. She stressed that she would be taking legal action in return.

“The next person who tries to do a frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m going to counter-sue, and I’m gonna make you pay, because this is not OK,” the Bronx native continued. “You don’t work for your money to give out your money. So, don’t ever think that I’m just gonna give you my money that I work hard for.”

She also urged fans not to harass Ellis online or offline, expressing hope that both parties could finally move on from the case.

“I do also want fans at home, though, not to find their social media, her family social media, her social media, and bother her. I hope that this is something that I leave behind [and] that she leaves behind,” Cardi added. “But I’m giving a warning. I am not that celeb that you’re gonna sue and you think is gonna settle; I’m not gonna settle—especially when I’m super completely innocent. I know I got a little reputation, but I swear to God, I’m innocent.”

What happened between Cardi B and Emani Ellis?

During the trial, Cardi testified that she had been in Los Angeles in February 2018 for promotional work around that year’s NBA All-Star Game. At the time, she was four months pregnant with the first of her three children with rapper, Offset. While she had informed her inner circle of the pregnancy, she had not yet told the public—or even her parents.

To protect her privacy, the obstetrician’s office had closed to other patients on that particular Saturday. Cardi testified that Ellis, a building security guard, followed her up to her fifth-floor appointment. She told jurors that she heard Ellis say her name into a phone and believed she was being filmed.

“I asked her, ‘Yo, why are you recording me? Ain’t you security?” Cardi testified, according to video footage obtained by CourtTV, “And she was like ’Oh my bad.’”

However, the argument escalated when Ellis allegedly continued to follow Cardi, despite the rapper asking her to stop.

“We’re like chest to chest practically, I keep telling her, ‘You need to back up,’” the mother of three said of their intense exchange.

The hip-hop star admitted to arguing with Ellis but insisted the exchange never became physical. She also said she was afraid Ellis might reveal her pregnancy to the public.

Ellis, on the other hand, testified that the incident left her humiliated and traumatized. She claimed the resulting facial scar required cosmetic surgery. Having lost her job after the incident, Ellis sought damages for medical expenses, emotional and physical suffering, lost wages, and punitive damages. While she didn’t specify a total amount in her lawsuit, Cardi stated during testimony, “She is suing me for $24 million.”

A receptionist who witnessed and broke up the altercation largely supported Cardi’s version of events during her testimony.

Ellis Plans To Appeal The Verdict

Outside the courtroom on Tuesday, Ellis and her lawyer, Ron Rosen Janfaza, revealed that they are gearing up to appeal the case. 

“I don’t think that it reflects the truth, but I’m not disappointed. We know that the justice system is sometimes flawed, and unfortunately, that was the case for me,” Ellis said of the verdict. “Like I said, I still stand firm on my position. I still stand firm on my attorney. I think we fought a good fight, but like I said, more importantly, it’s about accountability. I had my day in court, [and] I showed up. I held my head high, and I can walk away and say that I showed up, and she had to look me in the eye. I had to look her in the eye, and we did our best.”

Cardi’s two days of testimony last week were livestreamed and widely viewed, generating viral moments online. Notably, during a lunch break before the verdict was read on Tuesday, Cardi had another moment captured on camera: she threw a pen at a reporter who shouted questions about whether she was currently pregnant with a fourth child by her estranged husband, Offset, and if there were “paternity issues” present with her current boyfriend, Stefon Diggs. Cardi grabbed a pen from someone in the crowd present outside the courtroom and immediately called the reporter out for being disrespectful. 

“Stop disrespecting me!” she said after she threw the pen at the nosy reporter.