Overview

• Plaintiff Emani Ellis testified that Cardi B spat on her, hurled insults and racial slurs, and cut her left cheek with a long fingernail during a Beverly Hills medical visit in 2018.
• Cardi B and her lawyers denied any physical contact, portraying the confrontation as a short, loud argument sparked by Ellis allegedly trying to record the then-pregnant artist.
• Defense cross-examination highlighted discrepancies between Ellis’s testimony and her 2018 incident report, including whether she had a phone to her ear and whether the injury was to her nose or cheek.
• At the start of trial, Ellis dropped a claim that Cardi B used her celebrity to get her fired, while core claims of assault and battery and related torts continue under a bifurcated trial with limits on prejudicial evidence.
• Cardi B attended court for opening testimony and is expected to take the stand to defend herself as proceedings continue in Los Angeles.