Diddy’s legal team has raised a serious claim against CNN, accusing the network of altering a 2016 surveillance video that shows him assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
The footage, which aired in May 2024, appears to show Combs grabbing Cassie by the neck, throwing her to the ground, and kicking her near an elevator at a Los Angeles hotel.
Diddy’s lawyers argue that CNN manipulated the video by covering the time stamp and speeding it up, “to make it falsely appear that the actions are happening faster than they are.”
They also allege that “CNN purchased the only known copy of the hotel’s surveillance footage, altered it, and destroyed the original.”
However, CNN firmly denied the allegations.
“CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source,” adding that, “CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.”
Cassie’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, defended the integrity of the video, saying, “It is not surprising that Combs would make a disingenuous argument to exclude the disturbing video from being shown to the jury in the upcoming trial.”
He said, “I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity.”
This dispute comes as Diddy faces multiple charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering, and is preparing for a criminal trial where the video is expected to play a key role in the prosecution’s case.
