A Los Angeles jury delivered a decisive verdict in under an hour on Tuesday, clearing Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B (Belcalis Almánzar) of all civil charges in a high-profile $24 million lawsuit filed by former security guard Emani Ellis. The lawsuit stemmed from a 2018 incident outside a Beverly Hills OB/GYN clinic, where Cardi B was receiving prenatal care.
Emani Ellis alleged that Cardi B assaulted her by scratching her face with a three-inch fingernail, spitting on her, and shouting racial slurs, all during an altercation that cost Ellis her position. The former security guard sought compensation for emotional trauma, medical expenses, and asserted future damages.
Cardi B firmly denied any physical aggression. She testified that the showdown was entirely verbal, prompted when Ellis allegedly attempted to film her entering the clinic to protect her then-secret pregnancy. Several witnesses, including the attending gynaecologist and a receptionist present during the incident, supported Cardi B’s rendition. The doctor described the episode as “an epic yelling match,” clarifying that neither physical contact occurred nor did he observe slurs, though he faintly heard Ellis strike the receptionist.
Cardi B’s courtroom testimony was peppered with memorable one-liners that quickly turned social media into her advocate. She described pregnancy as a disability“When you’re pregnant, I’m very disabled”, eliciting both laughter and empathy. At another point, she quipped that the lawyer’s query felt more like “a debate” than cross-examination.
Tensions peaked during cross-examination when Elllis’s attorney, Ron Rosen Janfaza, pressed aggressively. The presiding judge intervened, instructing the attorney to ease his tone and maintain civility, a rare moment of judicial rebuke that only amplified public attention on the trial.
After just about an hour of deliberation, the jury found Cardi B not liable on all claims, including assault, battery, emotional distress, negligence, and false imprisonment. Emerging from the courtroom, Cardi B reiterated, “I did not touch that woman, I did not lay my hands on that girl.” She expressed relief, warned against future frivolous lawsuits, and pledged to countersue anyone who attempts to defame her similarly. She also appealed to fans to refrain from harassing Ellis or her family.
The Guardian described the trial as “colourful,” citing Cardi B’s denial that she cut Ellis’s face with a fake fingernail and emphasised how quickly the jury returned its verdict.
In summary, Cardi B walked out of court vindicated, her credibility upheld by witnesses, her courtroom presence celebrated, and her legal record cleared in a landmark decision that closed the book on a controversy that began nearly seven years earlier.
