Cardi B
A jury in Los Angeles has cleared American rapper, Cardi B, of assault after a security guard sued her for $24 million in an alleged fingernail attack incident.
The complainant, Emani Ellis, had alleged that Cardi B cut her cheek with a 3in (7.5cm) fingernail.
She also alleged that Cardi B spat on her outside and obstetrician’s office back in 2018.
At the time of the alleged attack in 2018, Cardi B was pregnant but her pregnancy was reportedly not public knowledge.
In court, Cardi B told the jury that the security guard, Emani Ellis followed her and filmed her on her phone. She says the guard wouldn’t give her space or privacy.
However, Emani Ellis told the court that the incident left her “traumatised.”
Cardi B acknowledged in court that she and Emani Ellis had a insult-laden shouting moment after she showed up to the doctor’s appointment. According to her, the moment was a very heated one. But she denied ever touching the guard or spitting on her.
Testifying about what happened on that day, Cardi B says when she stepped out of an elevator, Ms. Ellis, who was working as a security guard in the building, told someone on the phone about her appointment for a pregnancy that wasn’t yet public knowledge.
Cardi B further said Ms. Ellis appeared to record her on her phone and refused to “back up”, before they entered into a face-to-face “verbal altercation”, admitting that she shouted obscenity at the guard while telling her to “get out of my face.”
The Grammy-Award winning rapper’s claims were supported by testimony from the doctor she was in the hospital to see and his receptionist – Tierra Malcom – who reportedly rushed between them while they were arguing in an attempt to break up the fight.
Ms. Malcolm testified that the security guard was the aggressor and that she was swinging her arms in apparent attempt to hit Cardi B, which resulted in a cut on Ms. Malcolm’s head.
It took the jury about an hour to clear Cardi B of the allegations of assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as negligence and false imprisonment.
Addressing journalists outside courthouse after the ruling, Cardi B says “I work all day and I work hard for my money, for my kids, for my people that I take care of. So don’t you ever think that you’re going to sue me, and I’m just going to settle.”
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