In a civil trial that generated a series of viral moments, a jury on Tuesday declared rapper Cardi B not liable for assault charges brought by a security guard in 2018.
The jury determined that the security guard failed to establish the claims of assault, negligence, or emotional distress. Cardi B, dressed in a black ensemble adorned with white dots and a red bow, crossed herself after hearing the verdict.
“I’m being completely serious. Even on my deathbed, I swear, I will say it — I did not touch that woman,” Cardi expressed to reporters outside the courthouse following the jury’s decision.
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, known professionally as Cardi B, was sued by Emani Ellis, a former security guard at a Beverly Hills building, where the alleged incident took place in 2018 while Cardi was expecting her first child. Ellis claimed that Cardi spat on her and scratched her nose during a heated dispute.
The rapper, famous for “Bodak Yellow,” has refuted these accusations. In her testimony last week, she claimed that Ellis pursued her to the floor of her obstetrician’s office and appeared to be recording her.
They got into a heated confrontation, both women testified.
Cardi expressed feeling uneasy due to her pregnancy, noting that the security guard, whom she described as “security heavy,” was physically larger than her. While she admitted to swearing, she firmly denied any physical altercation with Ellis.
“She couldn’t get a scratch from me because I didn’t touch her,” she said.
Ellis told the court that the incident left her traumatized and that she required a cosmetic procedure because of the scarring from the alleged assault. She also lost her job over the incident, Ellis said.
David Finke, the doctor that Cardi was going to see that day, testified that it was he who reported Ellis to their practice administrator over the incident. He told the court that he was in his office when he heard yelling.
When he came out, Finke said he saw his receptionist standing between Ellis and Cardi before he intervened. He addressed Ellis while trying to de-escalate the situation, Finke told the court, by telling her to “stop” and “do your job.”
He never saw Cardi assault Ellis, Finke testified. His receptionist, Tierra Malcolm, also told the court that she did not see a physical fight between the women.
There was no one else in the doctor’s office that day because they had closed the office early that Saturday afternoon for Cardi’s privacy, according to court testimony.
Cardi’s attorney, Peter Anderson, told jurors in closing arguments that Ellis failed to prove her case under the law.
“Arguing, yelling, even using profanity, is not something you can sue over,” he said. “That’s just part of normal life.”
