Why can't Cardi B's past be mentioned in her assault trial? Judge's ruling explained

A Los Angeles judge, Judge Ian C. Fusselman, made a series of key rulings on July 30, 2025, in favor of Cardi B, ahead of her trial for allegedly assaulting a security guard at a Beverly Hills medical building in 2018.

According to a report in Billboard, the case stems from an altercation between Cardi, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, and security guard Emani Ellis in 2018 when the rapper was four months pregnant and was visiting her OBGYN.

In his ruling, Fusselman said that digging up Cardi B’s past in her upcoming trial is not allowed. As per Billboard, he ruled:

“Defendant’s prior acts and alleged prior acts, as well as prior involvement in exotic dancing or any gang associations, have no apparent probative value.”

He added, in case it's mentioned, it “would be unduly prejudicial and likely to confuse the jury and result in an undue waste of time.”

Continue to read more about the case.

Why is Cardi B facing a trial in August?

Cardi B will face a two-week trial beginning August 11, 2025, in Alhambra, California, as she has been reportedly sued by a former security guard, Emani Ellis. She claimed that the rapper allegedly assaulted her in February 2018 at a medical office in Beverly Hills.

A recent ruling by a Los Angeles County judge stated that Ellis can’t mention certain parts of her past, which include her prior life as a stripper, or alleged connections to gang members, as per a report in Billboard. It also includes references to her past civil and criminal proceedings.

Ellis alleged in her lawsuit filed in early 2020 that the rapper "violently" hit her on the head, face, and body, spat on her, and shouted racial slurs. She further alleged that she used her “celebrity status” to get her fired from her job. She added that the rapper’s long fingernails cut her face, causing scarring which later required plastic surgery.

However, according to Cardi B, they only sparred verbally, denying all the allegations of wrongdoing. The altercation between her and Ellis reportedly began when she saw Ellis telling someone on her phone that she was at the OBGYN’s office. According to Cardi’s lawyer:

“[Cardi] was visiting her obstetrician’s office in a medical building where [Emani] was employed as a security guard. In the hallway outside [Cardi’s] obstetrician’s office, [Emani] started filming [Cardi] and speaking to someone on the phone about her. [Cardi] asked her to put her phone away because [Cardi’s] pregnancy had not been made public yet.”

This was of concern for her, as at that time she did not plan to reveal her pregnancy to the public. The popstar is a mother to three children - Kulture, 7, Wave, 3, and Blossom, 7 months.

A report in the Rolling Stones stated that Cardi B has previously argued in her court filings that mention of her prior “alleged altercations with third parties, police reports, obscenities, drug-related incidents, gang affiliation, exotic dancing, and media coverage” would be “highly prejudicial” and distract from the facts of the case.

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