Cardi B secured a major courtroom win on Tuesday (August 2) after a California jury unanimously cleared her of allegations that she assaulted a security guard in 2018.
The rapper, who has faced multiple lawsuits throughout her career, walked away from the trial declaring she would no longer tolerate frivolous claims against her.
Jury rules quickly in Cardi B's favorThe lawsuit was filed by Emani Ellis, a Beverly Hills security guard who alleged that Cardi B cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her during an encounter at an obstetrician’s office while the rapper was secretly pregnant with her first child.
After just over an hour of deliberations, a jury of six men and six women ruled decisively in Cardi’s favor. Although only nine jurors were needed for a verdict in the civil trial, all 12 agreed the rapper was not liable, per The Guardian.
Outside the courthouse, Cardi, 31, spoke candidly about her frustration over the case. She explained that the trial forced her to miss her children’s first day of school and joked about how repeated wig changes left her forehead “raw, raw, raw.”
She also warned she would counter-sue anyone attempting to bring similar baseless claims in the future.
The trial included two days of testimony that were livestreamed and widely shared across social media, with several moments going viral. Cardi B firmly denied ever laying a hand on Ellis.
“I will say it on my deathbed. I did not touch that woman,” the Grammy-winning artist told jurors.
Ellis, however, described the incident as humiliating and traumatic. She testified that she suffered a facial scar requiring cosmetic surgery and claimed the fallout ended her aspirations for a career in law enforcement. Her attorney, Ron Rosen Janfaza, argued in closing statements that Ellis “lost her future” as a result, per AP News.
Janfaza also criticized Cardi’s use of profanity during her testimony, saying it showed “scorn for the proceedings.” After the verdict, he told reporters that Ellis intends to appeal.
While celebrating her legal victory, Cardi B also issued an unexpected plea. She asked her supporters not to attack or harass Ellis online, stressing that the jury’s ruling should be enough to put the matter to rest.
Cardi B testified that the confrontation began when she believed Ellis was filming her without permission during a private doctor’s visit arranged for her privacy in February 2018, per BBC News. A receptionist who witnessed the incident largely supported Cardi’s version of events.
Though Ellis may pursue an appeal, Cardi left court with her head high and her reputation legally intact. “I’m completely innocent,” she said.