Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs will not face charges after newly released 2016 video showing him kicking, punching and dragging his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, Los Angeles The county District Attorney's Office made the announcement in a statement posted on social media Friday night.
The office's statement went on to call the footage “disturbing and difficult to watch,” but explained that if the encounter had occurred in 2016, Combs would not have been charged with assault and would not be prosecuted. .
“If the acts described had occurred in 2016, unfortunately they would not be able to be prosecuted because they would have occurred beyond the statute of limitations for assault charges. As of today, law enforcement The agency has not filed a case related to the attack described,” the video against Combs says, but anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime should report it to law enforcement or contact victim services. We encourage you to contact our office for assistance from the Department,” the office said in a statement. .
USA TODAY reached out to the District Attorney's Office for further comment but has not yet received a response.
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A 2016 video shows Diddy and Cassie in a California hotel.
The hotel surveillance video obtained by CNN and released Friday was shot on March 5, 2016 and was reportedly edited from multiple camera angles. The incident matched allegations made in a sex trafficking, rape and physical abuse lawsuit Ventura filed against the hip-hop mogul in November. The two settled the civil suit the day after it was filed.
In the video, Ventura, wearing a black sweater, hood up and holding a duffel bag, can be seen calling for an elevator at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, CNN reported. In another camera angle, Didi is seen running through a hotel hallway wrapped in a bath towel.
He caught up with Ventura before the elevator came and punched and pulled Ventura by the hair, throwing him to the ground. The producer then kicked Ventura twice while she was lying on the ground, picked up her bag and dragged her back to the hotel room.
He then appeared to say something to her as he let her go and returned to the hotel room with her bag.
“The heartbreaking video provides further confirmation of Mr. Combs' disturbing and predatory behavior,” Doug Wigdor, Ventura's attorney, said in a statement to the media Friday. “Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in bringing this issue to light.”
In a statement shared with USA TODAY Friday, an InterContinental Hotels Group spokesperson said, “This hotel is no longer under IHG's control and we do not have access to records or footage of the previous incident. I can’t.”
USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Combs for comment.
Sean Diddy Combs, KathySettles bombshell lawsuit accusing rape, abuse and sex trafficking
The video shows Ventura answering the phone in a hotel hallway near an elevator. In another clip, Combs returns from the room to the hallway and lunges toward where Ventura was seen.
In another video angle, Diddy is seen sitting on a chair and throwing a vase of flowers onto a table in the hallway.
In Ms. Ventura's now-settled lawsuit, she recalled an incident in which Diddy was “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, blackening her eye.”
“After falling asleep, Mr. Ventura attempted to leave the hotel room, but as soon as he left the room, Mr. Combs woke up and began screaming at Mr. Ventura,” the complaint continued. “The man chased her down the hallway of the hotel, yelling at her. He grabbed her, picked up a glass vase that was in her hallway and threw it at her, and while she ran to the elevator, the glass splattered over the vase. It shattered around me.”
Ventura left, but was “caught in a cycle of abuse” and returned “with the intention of apologizing for running away,” according to the complaint.
The complaint continues: “When she returned, hotel security staff suggested that they had seen the security footage and urged her to return to the taxi and go to the apartment.”
The suit alleges that Diddy paid the hotel $50,000 for the footage.
Sean “Diddy” CombsAsks judge to dismiss lawsuit alleging rape of 17-year-old girl in 2003
Diddy and Cassie's video released after lawsuit and settlement
Diddy and Ventura dated on and off from 2007 to 2018. Ventura, who began a professional and sexual relationship with the rap mogul when she was 19, alleges in her lawsuit that Combs raped her, trafficked her and severely assaulted her. 10 years have passed.
The former couple reached a settlement the day after the singer filed her lawsuit. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably, provided that I have some control,” Ventura said in a statement at the time. “I would like to thank my family, fans, and attorneys for their unwavering support.”
“We have decided to resolve this matter amicably and wish Kathy and her family the best,” Combs said in a separate statement. “Love.”
The lawsuit is among several filed against music moguls in recent months, including one by “The Love Album” producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. There is one.
Diddy's rival 50 Cent speaks out about Cassie's video released by CNN
Fierce Diddy critic and rival Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson spoke out about X shortly after the video was released.
“I'm sure Puffy didn't do it. He's innocent. This proves nothing! This is what his lawyer will say, God help us all.” 50 Cent wrote at X along with an eyeball and praying hands emoji.
On Sunday night, Diddy's son Christian “King” Combs released a song titled “Pick a Side.” The song references the raids of two of Diddy's homes by federal agents in March and 50 Cent's continued social media posts regarding Diddy's legal issues.
50 Cent responded sarcastically on Instagram to a photo of King Combs and Diddy, writing, “I feel so threatened by what Christian is saying on the record. I fear for my life. Please don't hurt me. I never hurt you.” KEEFE D said he killed 2Pac so he mentioned and posted about Puffy's kids lol. ”
In the second half, he mentioned Duane “Kef D” Davis, who was indicted by a Nevada grand jury in September for shooting and killing rapper Tupac Shakur in a car in 1996. Rumors have circulated for decades that Diddy was responsible for orchestrating the Las Vegas shooting.
50 Cent and Diddy's feud has been going on for decades, with the rapper claiming to be working on a documentary about Bad Boy's sexual assault allegations called Diddy Do It?
If you are a victim of domestic violence, National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org) You can speak confidentially with a trained advocate online or over the phone. This is recommended for people who believe their online activity is being monitored by an abuser (800-799-7233). They can help victims develop a plan to keep themselves and their children safe.
Contributor: Anika Reed; Naledi Uche.
Ajaneh Forbes is a reporter on USA Today's National Trends team. Ajane writes about breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lotteries, public policy, and more.mail address is aforbes@gannett.com. Instagram, Threads, and X (Twitter).