LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — Closing arguments are expected Tuesday, Sept. 2, in rapper Cardi B’s civil assault trial.
Cardi B and Emani Ellis testify in the rapper’s civil assault trial. (Court TV)
Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, is accused of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and false imprisonment in a lawsuit that stems from a 2018 incident.
MORE | Emani Ellis v. Cardi B: Daily Trial Updates
Former security guard Emani Ellis claims Cardi B attacked her, unprovoked, while she was attending a doctor’s appointment in the office building where Ellis worked.
Cardi B insists the altercation was verbal, and she never physically touched Ellis. Proceedings this week lasted three days, with both women testifying. Here are some of the biggest moments ahead of closing arguments.
Plaintiff: Cardi B Body Shamed Me, Cursed Me Out, Spat On Me, Cut Me
Plaintiff Emani Ellis testified Tuesday, claiming Cardi B confronted her and accused her of telling people she was in the building. Things quickly escalated, Ellis continued, with Cardi B allegedly jabbing her finger in her face and unleashing a tirade of profanity, including racial and body-shaming slurs.
MORE | Ex-security guard testifies Cardi B cursed, spat on her, cut her
Among the more serious accusations, Ellis testified that Cardi B spat on her. Asked if Cardi B attempted to strike her physically, Ellis replied, “She did.” Ellis, who claimed to have sustained a facial cut from Cardi B’s fingernails, testified that she dealt with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, insomnia, and body-shaming as a result.
Cardi B Testifies ‘I Didn’t Touch Her’ in Civil Assault Trial
Called as a plaintiff’s witness, Cardi B described arriving at a medical building in Beverly Hills for a doctor’s appointment. She testified that as she exited the elevator on the fifth floor, she encountered Ellis filming her on a phone and referring to her celebrity status. Cardi B stated that she felt uncomfortable being recorded and followed, describing the exchange as a verbal argument in which harsh words were traded.
MORE | Cardi B testifies security guard followed, recorded her in verbal spat
“I didn’t hit her. She didn’t hit me. There was no touch. So to me, there was no incident,” Cardi B said in court. The rapper described feeling nervous and concerned during the encounter, explaining that she was approximately 130 pounds and pregnant at the time, while Ellis appeared significantly larger. The entire confrontation lasted less than a minute before a receptionist intervened, according to Cardi B’s testimony.
Cardi B: Me and Emani Ellis Were ‘Chest-to-Chest’ but No Physical Incident
The defense called Cardi B as a witness for her second day on the stand, where she insisted neither party touched the other.
Cardi B’s Gynecologist on Office Clash: ‘It Was An Epic Yelling Match’
Dr. David Finke testified that Ellis’s allegations don’t match what he saw. He said he heard shouting from the opposite side of the building and saw Ellis hit his receptionist, who ended up with a cut forehead.
Parts of this story were reported by John Cowley IV and have been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
