Los Angeles District Attorney's office confirms that Sean "Diddy" Combs cannot be charged due to the statute of limitations, despite disturbing video footage of alleged assault on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura being made public.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has issued a statement confirming that rap artist Sean "Diddy" Combs cannot be prosecuted for an alleged assault on his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 due to the statute of limitations. The disturbing video footage of the incident, obtained exclusively by CNN, shows Combs allegedly brutally beating Ventura in a hotel hallway while wearing only socks and a towel around his waist.
In a statement released on Instagram, the District Attorney's office acknowledged the "extremely disturbing and difficult to watch" video footage. However, the statement stated that if the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, "we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted."
Ventura sued Combs in November 2023, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse. The case was dropped after the parties reached an out-of-court settlement one day later. The video footage appears to corroborate a line in Ventura's lawsuit accusing Combs of punching her in the face in the hotel.
Ventura's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, expressed his outrage at the video footage, stating that it "has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs." Despite the release of the video, the District Attorney's office has not received a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Combs. The office encourages anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement.
Earlier this year, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations raided Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami as part of an ongoing investigation. Derrick Parker, a former investigator with the NYPD's rap intelligence unit, believes that the newly emerged video footage will have a significant impact on the federal case against Combs.
Parker predicted that federal racketeering (RICO) charges against Combs are likely before July 4. He stated that the video is "very damaging to his case" and "adds credence to what Ms. Ventura has been alleging about the abuse from him."
The release of the video footage has sparked outrage and has led to calls for Combs to be held accountable for his alleged actions. Despite the statute of limitations preventing criminal charges, the video footage raises serious questions about Combs' character and the prevalence of domestic violence in the entertainment industry.
