Cardi B secured a significant legal win as a judge ruled jurors will not hear about her past legal issues or former work as a stripper. On July 30th, Judge Ian C. Fusselman decided that details about prior acts or exotic dancing have “no apparent probative value” and could unfairly prejudice or confuse the jury.
The ruling came ahead of Cardi’s assault trial scheduled to begin August 11th. The case originates from a lawsuit filed by former Beverly Hills Medical Center security guard Emani Ellis. Ellis alleges Cardi struck her in a 2018 incident, causing facial injuries that required plastic surgery.
Cardi denies striking Ellis. She maintains the conflict began when she overheard Ellis discussing Cardi’s presence at the OBGYN clinic while Cardi, reportedly four months pregnant with her daughter Kulture, was hoping to keep her pregnancy private.
Ellis filed the lawsuit in February 2020. In response, Cardi posted on Twitter, “Why don’t you guys post the part where the doctor office said that that’s not what happen ? And if I assaulted why she didn’t press charges ? Why would I put my hands on some1 twice my size by myself while I’m experiencing sharp pain 4 months pregnant ?”
Judge Fusselman also ordered that the trial be split into two stages. The first stage will focus on deciding liability. If needed, a second stage will address damages. Cardi’s legal team welcomed the decision, highlighting that excluding unrelated personal history keeps the proceedings focused on facts directly tied to the alleged incident.
With jury selection set to begin in early August, the narrowing scope promises a streamlined trial process centered on whether the alleged assault occurred rather than peripheral personal background.
