Sean 'Diddy' Combs can't be prosecuted over 2016 video, LA DA says. Here's why.
Rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs will not be prosecuted after newly released video from 2016 showed him kicking, hitting and dragging then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement released on social media Friday night.
The office's statement went on to call the footage "disturbing and difficult to watch" but explained that Combs would not be charged with assault or prosecuted if the encounter occurred in 2016.
"If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted. As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs, but we encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to our office for support from our Bureau of Victims Services", the office said in the statement.
USA TODAY contacted the district attorney's office for any further comment but have not heard back yet.
What is the statute of limitations on assault in California?
According to the McCready Law Group, the statute of limitations in California is one year for simple assault. For felony assault, it is three years.
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Video from 2016 shows Diddy and Cassie in a California hotel
The hotel surveillance video, obtained by CNN and released Friday, is reportedly from March 5, 2016, and compiled from multiple camera angles. The incident matched an allegation levied in Ventura's November sex trafficking, rape and physical abuse lawsuit against the hip hop mogul. The two settled the civil suit one day after it was filed.
In the video, Ventura is seen in a black sweater with the hood up and duffle bag in hand, calling an elevator in what CNN reports is the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. In a different camera angle, Diddy is seen in a bath towel running down the hotel hallway.
He catches up with Ventura before the elevator comes, striking and yanking Ventura by the hair and throwing her to the ground. The producer then kicks Ventura twice while she lies on the ground, picking up her bag and dragging her back toward the hotel rooms.
He then lets her go, appearing to say something to her as he walks back to a hotel room with her bag.
"The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs," Doug Wigdor, Ventura's lawyer, said in a statement to media Friday. "Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light."
In a statement shared with USA TODAY Friday, a spokesperson for InterContinental Hotels Group said, "This hotel is no longer under IHG management, and we do not have any access to prior incident records or footage."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Combs for comment.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Cassiesettle bombshell lawsuit alleging rape, abuse, sex trafficking
In the video, Ventura is then seen picking up a phone near the elevators in the hotel hallway. In a different clip, Combs walks back from the room to the hallway and lunges toward where Ventura was just seen.
In a different video angle, Diddy is seen sitting on a chair and throwing a vase on a table down the hallway.
In Ventura's now-settled lawsuit, she recalled an incident in which Diddy "became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye."
"After he fell asleep, Ms. Ventura tried to leave the hotel room, but as she exited, Mr. Combs awoke and began screaming at Ms. Ventura," the suit continued. "He followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her. He grabbed at her, and then took glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape."
Ventura left at one point, the lawsuit said, but because she was "in his vicious cycle of abuse," she returned "with the intention of apologizing for running away."
The suit continued: "When she returned, hotel security staff urged her to get back into a cab and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage."
The lawsuit alleged that Diddy paid $50,000 to the hotel for the footage.
Sean 'Diddy' Combsasks judge to reject lawsuit alleging rape of 17-year-old girl in 2003
Diddy, Cassie video comes after lawsuit and settlement
Diddy and Ventura dated on-and-off from 2007 to 2018. In her lawsuit, Ventura, who began a professional and sexual relationship with the rap mogul starting when she was 19, alleged she was raped, trafficked and viciously beaten by Combs over the course of a decade.
The former couple reached a settlement one day after the singer filed her lawsuit. A settlement amount was not disclosed.
"I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control," Ventura said in a statement at the time. "I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support."
"We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best," Combs said in a separate statement. "Love."
The lawsuit was one of several filed against the music mogul in recent months, including a lawsuit by "The Love Album" producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr.
Diddy rival 50 Cent speaks out about Cassie video released by CNN
Fierce Diddy critic and rival Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson spoke out on X shortly after the video was released for public consumption.
"Now I'm sure puffy didn't do it, he is innocent this proves nothing ! This is what his lawyers are gonna say, God help us all," 50 Cent wrote on X, alongside eyeball and prayer hands emojis.
On Sunday night, Diddy's son Christian "King" Combs released a song titled "Pick a Side," which references federal agents' raid of Diddy's two homes in March and 50 Cent's continuous social media posts about Diddy's legal woes.
50 Cent responded with sarcasm on Instagram, captioning one photo of King Combs and Diddy, "I feel so threatened by the things Christian is saying on his record. I'm afraid for my life, please don't hurt me guys. I never mentioned or posted anything about puffy's kids because KEEFE D said he killed 2Pac. LOL."
The latter half referred to Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who was indicted by a Nevada grand jury in September for the 1996 drive-by shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur; rumors have circulated for decades that Diddy was responsible for orchestrating the Las Vegas shooting.
50 Cent and Diddy's feud spans decades as the rapper has alleged he is working on documentary on the Bad Boy rapper's sexual assault allegations called "Diddy Do It?"
If you are a victim of domestic violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org) allows you to speak confidentially with trained advocates online or by the phone, which they recommend for those who think their online activity is being monitored by their abuser (800-799-7233). They can help survivors develop a plan to achieve safety for themselves and their children.
Contributing: Anika Reed; Naledi Ushe.
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter).