The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has revealed it cannot prosecute Diddy after horrific footage showed him assaulting Cassie Ventura at a hotel.
It all comes down to the statute of limitations on assault, and since the date of Diddy’s alleged attack on Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel was March 5, 2016, the prosecutor says the deadline to file charges has expired.
“If the behavior described occurred in 2016, we unfortunately would not be able to charge because the behavior would have occurred beyond the time period in which a crime of assault can be prosecuted,” the office wrote from the Los Angeles District Attorney in a statement on Instagram.
The office added that law enforcement has not filed charges against Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, related to the attack seen in the video obtained Friday by CNN.
The statute of limitations in California for simple assault is one year, while aggravated assault is three years. Based on the timeline, neither charge could be brought against Diddy.
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura attend the premiere of ‘The Perfect Match’ in Hollywood, California. Two days earlier, Combs had assaulted Ventura in a hotel hallway.
Two days after Diddy punched and kicked Ventura in the hotel room, the then-couple appeared on the red carpet holding hands for the premiere of The Perfect Match on March 7.
Footage uncovered by DailyMail.com shows Ventura in two separate outfits that night, with what appears to be several bruises visible on his body.
The gruesome video shows Diddy shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist, chasing Cassie down the hotel hallway.
As she tried to get into an elevator, he grabbed her by the back of the head and slammed her to the ground.
He then kicked her as she lay motionless on the ground, before grabbing the two designer bags she had tried to escape with.
We see Cassie trying to escape in an elevator. Diddy, after chasing her down the hallway, grabbed her by the back of the hoodie and threw her to the ground.
Diddy is seen taking Cassie back to their hotel room after collecting her bags.
This is the former InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, where Diddy allegedly attacked his girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Diddy stood over her, kicked her again, then dragged her back to their bedroom by the hoodie.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Ventura’s attorney Douglas Wigdor said, “The heartbreaking video only further confirmed Mr. Combs’ disturbing and predatory behavior.”
“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
Ventura sued Combs last year for rape and a string of other crimes, though they settled out of court in November for an undisclosed amount.
In his lawsuit, Ventura recalled an incident similar to the one captured on Los Angeles hotel security footage.
The suit claims: “In approximately March 2016, Mr. Combs, during a FO at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Mr. Combs 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 on the way out, Ms. Combs woke up and began yelling at Ms. Ventura. He followed her down the hall while yelling at her.
Diddy and Cassie are seen on the red carpet two days after the hotel incident on March 7, 2016. She has visible bruises on her legs.
Haunting images of Sean “Diddy” Combs and his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura on the 2018 Met Gala red carpet have resurfaced online. There’s a tense dynamic between the couple, even two years after the hotel assault
“He grabbed her, then took glass vases from the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to shatter around them as she ran toward the elevator to escape.”
Ventura claimed she escaped from Diddy but ultimately decided to return out of fear of upsetting him.
After the lawsuit was settled, Ventura released a statement: “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms over which I have some level of control.”
“I want to thank my family, fans and attorneys for their continued support.”
In his own statement following the settlement, Diddy’s attorney said the settlement of the case was in no way an admission of guilt. His lawyer added that he denies all of Ventura’s allegations.
An image of the Homeland Security raid on one of Diddy’s homes
What precipitated the searches of Combs’ properties on March 25 has not yet been revealed.
Ventura and Combs dated between 2007 and 2018, after meeting in 2006 when she was 19 and he was 37.
Footage from the March 2016 incident comes just two months after Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by Homeland Security as part of a sex trafficking investigation.
He is also fighting lawsuits from other accusers who allege sexual misconduct and abuse.
The rapper is one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the last three decades.
Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he built one of hip-hop’s largest empires, paving the way for several entities attached to his famous name.
He is the founder of Bad Boy Records and a three-time Grammy winner who has worked with many top artists, including Notorious BIG, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.
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