No charges for Sean 'Diddy' Combs in 2016 assault case
Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs will not be prosecuted for a 2016 assault on his then-girlfriend, Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura. This decision comes despite the existence of hotel surveillance footage showing the incident, as confirmed by the Los Angeles District Attorney. The video, which surfaced online on Friday, shows a disturbing assault at Century City's now-closed InterContinental Hotel, where Combs is seen "grabbing, shoving, dragging, and kicking" Ventura.
Despite video evidence, why is prosecution stalled in this case?
District Attorney George Gascón acknowledged the video's existence in a post shared on Instagram, describing it as "extremely disturbing and difficult to watch." However, he stated that Combs could not be prosecuted due to the statute of limitations. It means "a law that limits the amount of time allowed to bring a legal action against someone." In California, this legal time limit is five years for domestic violence cases and one to three years for simple and felony assault, respectively.
Combs's payment for footage could open investigation pathway
Despite the statute of limitations, a law-enforcement source reportedly suggested that Combs may have inadvertently provided a potential pathway for investigation. This speculation arose after reports surfaced that Combs paid $50K to the hotel for the surveillance footage soon after the incident. Ventura also noted this payment in her now-settled federal lawsuit filed in November 2023. To note, Combs and Ventura had an on-and-off relationship spanning from 2007 to 2018.
Combs settled with Ventura amid multiple allegations
Ventura detailed the March 2016 attack in her lawsuit, which explicitly mentioned how an "extremely intoxicated" Combs "punched her in the face, giving her a black eye." After Combs's lawyer Ben Brafman dismissed Ventura's action as a shakedown full of "offensive and outrageous allegations," his client settled with his ex. The final settlement amount was reported to be in the eight-figure range. Meanwhile, since Ventura filed her suit, half a dozen other suits have emerged accusing Combs of sexual assault.
FBI and Homeland Security raided Combs's homes
Despite the multiple allegations against Combs, no formal LAPD probe has begun yet. However, on March 25, the FBI and Homeland Security agents raided Combs's LA and Miami homes as part of an "ongoing investigation." Among the accusations are sex trafficking of a minor and misconduct from a producer on Combs's most recent album. The nature of the ongoing investigation currently remains undisclosed.
