A California jury has ruled that Grammy-winning artist Cardi B is not liable in a civil lawsuit alleging assault, concluding a years-long case that stemmed from a 2018 incident at a medical office.
The lawsuit was filed by former building security guard Emani Ellis, who claimed that Cardi B struck her during a hallway interaction while the rapper, then pregnant, was on her way to an obstetrician appointment. Ellis sought punitive damages and reimbursement for medical expenses related to a facial scratch she alleged came from the altercation.
Throughout the trial, which featured two days of testimony from the rapper, Cardi B denied the allegations outright. The jury ultimately sided with her defense, rejecting Ellis’s claims of assault.
Following the verdict, Cardi B expressed relief and gratitude toward her attorneys, the jurors, and her supporters. She lamented missing her children’s first day of school due to trial obligations, calling the suit “frivolous.”
“I did not touch that woman. I did not touch that girl. I didn’t lay my hands on that girl,” Cardi B told reporters outside the courthouse.
The rapper also addressed the strain of balancing her career and court proceedings, noting her ongoing album rollout and joking about early mornings and frequent wig changes taking a toll on her forehead.
Her candid remarks, paired with her bold courtroom fashion, drew significant media coverage as Court TV live-streamed her testimony, which quickly circulated across social media.
Ellis’s attorney, Ron Rosen Janfaza, said his client plans to appeal the decision. Ellis criticized Cardi B’s courtroom demeanor as “totally unprofessional,” referencing her body language and expressions during testimony.
For Cardi B, the verdict closes a 7-year legal chapter that she hopes to move past.
“I hope that this is something I leave behind,” she said.
