Cardi B civil trial opens in Los Angeles as accuser testifies over 2018 Beverly Hills incident
A civil case against rapper Cardi B opened in Los Angeles on Monday, with the accuser, Emani Ellis, taking the stand to describe an incident she says occurred in 2018 inside a Beverly Hills obstetrician’s office. Ellis, a security guard for the building housing the clinic, alleges Cardi B assaulted her, cut her face with long fingernails, and spat on her during the confrontation.
The lawsuit, filed in 2020, accuses Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, of assault and battery and infliction of emotional distress. Ellis testified that the confrontation began after Cardi B, who was then pregnant with her first child, stepped out of an elevator on the building’s fifth floor. Ellis recalled recognizing Cardi B, noting that the rapper’s pregnancy was not yet public knowledge at the time.
Ellis described a tense exchange in which Cardi B allegedly “got in [her] face” and questioned whether Ellis had used the phone she was holding to spread news about the medical visit. Ellis recounted Cardi B’s response in inflammatory terms, saying Cardi B asked, “Why the f— are you telling people that you seen me?” The witness also claimed Cardi B berated her, body-shamed her, and spit on her. Ellis said the experience was traumatizing and that she later underwent plastic surgery to repair a facial cut she described as being caused by Cardi B’s long nails, estimated at two to three inches.
During cross-examination, Cardi B’s attorney, Peter J. Anderson, pressed Ellis on alleged inconsistencies between the complaint and an incident report she filed with a supervisor, including the exact location of the facial cut and whether Ellis was using her phone at the time. Anderson portrayed Ellis as the aggressor in the encounter, while maintaining that Cardi B never touched her. He argued that Cardi B feared for her unborn child and suggested the singer was startled by an approaching security guard.
The trial, which began Monday, is expected to continue as both sides present further testimony and evidence. The proceedings will hinge on witness credibility and the available physical and documentary records to resolve the dispute over what happened that day in 2018.
Summary: The case centers on serious accusations of assault and emotional distress from a security guard who says Cardi B attacked her in a Beverly Hills medical office in 2018, with Cardi B’s defense disputing key facts and emphasizing self-protection and fear for an unborn child. The court will determine liability and any damages as the trial proceeds.
Additional notes for readers: This high-profile civil case highlights how celebrity disputes unfold in the courtroom, with ongoing testimony and further evidence expected as the proceedings continue. The outcome remains pending as the legal process moves forward.