A jury in Los Angeles County determined on Tuesday that Cardi B had not assaulted a security guard who claimed that the Bronx rapper and pop star attacked her seven years ago.
The civil case involving Cardi B, who was born Belcalis Almanzar, drew wide attention last week after her blunt, unvarnished testimony about what had transpired was broadcast online.
The security guard, Emani Ellis, filed a civil complaint against Ms. Almanzar in 2020. During the trial, Ms. Almanzar said Ms. Ellis was seeking $24 million.
But a jury rebuffed the allegations, finding that Ms. Ellis had failed to prove any of her claims, which in addition to assault and battery included intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
As each member of the jury confirmed that the verdicts were unanimous, Ms. Almanzar made a quick sign of the cross. Almost immediately after the verdict was finalized, she clasped her hands together and shook them in an apparent sign of relief and celebration.
“I did not touch that woman,” Ms. Almanzar, 32, said outside the courtroom minutes later, after thanking her supporters. She warned that in the future, if someone were to bring a “frivolous lawsuit” against her, she would countersue. “I’m going to make you pay,” she said. “Because this is not OK.”
The episode at the center of the dispute occurred on a Saturday in February 2018. Ms. Almanzar was visiting the Beverly Hills Medical Center for an appointment with an obstetrician, according to court records and testimony. At the time, she was roughly four months pregnant with her first child, according to court documents.
As Ms. Almanzar stepped off an elevator and into a hallway, she passed Ms. Ellis. Ms. Almanzar asserted in a legal filing and in court that Ms. Ellis, who appeared to be recording a video of her, told someone who she was speaking to on the phone that she had just seen Cardi B. The two women then got into a confrontation.
Ms. Ellis claimed that Ms. Almanzar cut her face with a fingernail and spit on her while verbally admonishing her with profanity and racial slurs.
Ms. Almanzar acknowledged that she got into a heated verbal argument with Ms. Ellis but denied that she assaulted her.
After explaining that she and Ms. Ellis had at one point been “chest to chest,” Ms. Almanzar was asked by a lawyer for Ms. Ellis to assess her level of anger at that moment.
“I don’t think I was, like, on a high level of angry,” she said. “I was more on a high level of concern — very concerned.”
Asked why she was concerned, Ms. Almanzar offered one of a number of pointed responses that would soon be compiled by her admirers.
“Because I’m pregnant!” Ms. Almanzar replied, before adding with a pair of expletives that “this girl’s about to beat” her up.
In 2022, Ms. Almanzar pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors for her role in two fights at a Queens club that also took place in 2018. She was sentenced to 15 days of community service.
Kirsten Noyes contributed research.
Matt Stevens is a Times reporter who writes about arts and culture from Los Angeles.
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