CNN
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A 2016 surveillance video obtained completely by CNN exhibits Sean “Diddy” Combs seize, shove, drag and kick his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura throughout an altercation that matches allegations in a now-settled federal lawsuit filed by Ventura in November.
The footage, compiled from a number of digicam angles dated March 5, 2016, seems to point out the rapper, producer and enterprise mogul throughout an incident that, in response to Ventura’s grievance, occurred on the now-closed InterContinental Resort in Century Metropolis, Los Angeles. CNN verified the situation based mostly on publicly accessible photographs of the previous lodge’s inside.
Within the video, Ventura exits a lodge room and walks to a financial institution of elevators. Combs, holding a towel round his waist, runs down a corridor after Ventura. He grabs her by the again of the neck and throws her to the ground. Nonetheless holding his towel closed with one hand, he then turns to kick her, the video exhibits.
As Ventura is on the bottom, Combs retrieves a handbag and suitcase from the ground close to the elevators. He turns round and kicks Ventura once more as she lies immobile on the ground. About 4 seconds transpire between the 2 kicks, in response to the video. He then briefly drags Ventura by her sweatshirt towards a room earlier than strolling away.
Ventura is then seen slowly standing up. She gathers objects from the ground and strikes to select up a telephone on the hallway wall close to the elevators. Combs, nonetheless in a towel and socks, returns. A mirror immediately throughout from the safety digicam exhibits Combs showing to shove Ventura.
Seconds later, he sits down on a chair, grabs an object off a desk and forcefully throws it towards Ventura. Combs is seen strolling away, then turns towards Ventura as soon as once more when an elevator door opens and somebody seems to exit.
Ventura, who reached an undisclosed settlement with Combs, declined to touch upon the video obtained by CNN.
Ventura’s legal professional, Douglas H. Wigdor, mentioned: “The gut-wrenching video has solely additional confirmed the disturbing and predatory conduct of Mr. Combs. Phrases can not specific the braveness and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has proven in coming ahead to convey this to mild.”
CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs and InterContinental Accommodations for remark. Combs has beforehand denied Ventura’s allegations.
Combs and Ventura, a mannequin and singer recognized for songs like “Me & U,” had been in an off-and-on relationship from 2007 – 2018. The 2 had been photographed collectively on the Los Angeles premiere of the movie “A Good Match” on March 7, 2016.
In keeping with Ventura’s grievance, which cited the altercation as occurring “round March 2016,” Combs turned “extraordinarily intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura within the face, giving her a black eye.”
After Combs fell asleep, Ventura tried to depart the lodge room, however he awoke and “adopted her into the hallway of the lodge whereas yelling at her,” the grievance mentioned.
“He grabbed at her, after which took glass vases within the hallway and threw them at her, inflicting glass to crash round them as she ran to the elevator to flee,” the grievance alleged.
After Ventura obtained within the elevator, her grievance states that she took a cab to her condominium.
“Upon realizing that her working away would trigger Mr. Combs to be even angrier along with her, and utterly caught in his vicious cycle of abuse, Ms. Ventura returned to the lodge with the intention of apologizing for working away from her abuser,” the grievance claims. “When she returned, lodge safety workers urged her to get again right into a cab and go to her condominium, suggesting that they’d seen the safety footage exhibiting Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her within the lodge hallway.”
The grievance alleges Combs paid the InterContinental Century Metropolis $50,000 for the hallway safety footage of the incident. The incident was a part of a variety of allegations made within the November lawsuit wherein Ventura claimed she was raped in 2018 and subjected to years of repeated bodily and different abuses by Combs.
Ventura, who was formally signed to Combs’ label, claimed in her swimsuit that he “exerted his energy and affect” over her all through the course of their skilled and romantic relationship. In keeping with the grievance, she was 19 after they met and Combs was 37, and their enterprise relationship lasted till 2019. It detailed claims that Combs was bodily violent towards Ventura and compelled her to interact in numerous intercourse acts with different males throughout that point.
Ben Brafman, an legal professional for Combs, mentioned in an announcement to CNN on the day it was filed, “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”
The swimsuit was resolved the next day.
“A choice to settle a lawsuit, particularly in 2023, is by no means an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman instructed CNN in an announcement on the time. “Mr. Combs‘ choice to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any manner undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He’s pleased they obtained to a mutual settlement and needs Ms. Ventura the most effective.”
Particulars of the settlement weren’t disclosed.
Since November, Combs has confronted 5 different civil lawsuits accusing him of a variety of sexual misconduct and different criminal activity. He has denied the allegations, and the cases stay energetic.
Authorities searched Combs’ properties in California and Florida in April as a part of a federal investigation carried out by a Division of Homeland Safety crew that handles human trafficking crimes, in response to a senior federal regulation enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The investigation stems from lots of the similar sexual assault allegations put forth within the civil lawsuits, in response to a second regulation enforcement supply aware of the searches.
Aaron Dyer, an legal professional for Combs, issued a statement on the time, calling the searches a “gross overuse of military-level pressure.”
“This unprecedented ambush – paired with a sophisticated, coordinated media presence – results in a untimely rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing greater than a witch hunt based mostly on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” he mentioned. “There was no discovering of prison or civil legal responsibility with any of those allegations. Mr. Combs is harmless and can proceed to battle each single day to clear his identify.”
Editor’s Observe: When you or somebody is scuffling with intimate companion violence, there are sources accessible, together with the National Domestic Violence Hotline.