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0 Rapper Cardi B has been found not liable by a Los Angeles jury in a high profile civil lawsuit that accused her of assault and battery during a 2018 nightclub incident.
The verdict, announced Tuesday, brings to a close a case that drew intense media attention, viral courtroom clips and weeks of testimony.
The plaintiff, Emani Ellis had sought roughly 24 million US dollars, saying the alleged attack left her with physical and psychological injuries and harmed her career.
During the trial the woman described being struck and pushed during the confrontation at a Los Angeles club.
Witnesses called by the plaintiff included a receptionist and medical personnel who testified about injuries and treatment connected to the night in question.
Cardi B, born Belcalis Almánzar, denied the claims and took the stand in her own defence. She repeatedly disputed key parts of the plaintiff’s account and pressed witnesses on inconsistencies.
After jurors returned their verdict, Cardi B spoke to reporters outside court, repeating the core of her defence.
“First thing first, I want to thank my lawyers. I want to thank the jurors. I want to thank the judge and I want to thank the respectful press. I really, really appreciate that and I want to thank everybody at home supporting me,” she said.
Cardi B stressed the personal toll the trial took. “I know you guys having a little key with the moment but to be honest with you, I have missed my kids first day of school today. I missed my kids last day, last week of school yesterday because of this and I’m not even playing around,” she told reporters.
She returned to the simple denial she had made on the stand. “I will, even if I’m in my deathbed, I swear to God, I will say it in my deathbed. I did not touch that woman. I did not touch that girl,” she emphasised.
The singer also used the moment to warn others against filing what she described as baseless claims.
“The next person to try to do a frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m going to counter sue and I’m going to make you pay because this is not okay,” she said, adding a pointed defence of her work and earnings. “Don’t ever think that I’m just going to give you my money that I work hard for.”
At the same time Cardi B appealed for civility from fans.
“I do also want fans at home though not to find their social media, her family social media, her social media and bother her. I hope that this is something that I leave behind, that she leave behind. Don’t go bother her,” she said.
The trial itself produced a mix of focused testimony and moments that immediately circulated online.
Reporters and social users tracked everything from witness accounts to wardrobe choices.
Cardi B also made headlines before the verdict when she was recorded outside the courthouse appearing to throw a pen at a reporter who pressed her about pregnancy rumours.
That clip added a highly publicized postscript to an already viral legal proceeding.
Civil trials require a lower burden of proof than criminal cases. Jurors are asked to decide whether the plaintiff’s version of events is more likely than not to be true.
In this instance the jury concluded the evidence did not meet that standard and found Cardi B not liable.
Both sides framed the stakes differently during the trial. The plaintiff’s team argued the alleged assault resulted in real harm and financial loss.
Cardi B’s lawyers countered that the claims were inconsistent and unsupported by reliable evidence.
Much of the courtroom argument focused on witness credibility, timing and whether testimony matched medical records and other documents.
With the verdict behind her, Cardi B leaves the courtroom free of the civil liability that had loomed during the proceedings. She closed her remarks by returning to the strain the case placed on her life and work, noting ongoing commitments and late nights tied to an album rollout.
“It’s been really tough. It’s been really long nights for me,” she said.
