Cassie’s Lawyer Addresses the ‘Gut-Wrenching’ Video of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Assaulting Her in 2016

The abuse allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs made by Cassie Ventura were confirmed on Friday when a 2016 surveillance video at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles was released by CNN. (Trigger Warning on the disturbing video.) The horrific footage was a part of the federal lawsuit filed by Ventura’s legal team in November 2023. While both parties came to a settlement, it does not take away the horrors experienced by the 37-year-old singer at the hands of the 54-year-old music producer.

Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, praised his client for her bravery in coming forward against a high-profile public figure. “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs. Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.” Ventura’s relationship with Combs lasted from 2007 until 2018, which proves how challenging it can be to leave an abusive relationship. It’s why the Women Against Abuse website shares that it can “take approximately 7 attempts before a survivor permanently leaves an abusive partner.”

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The video, which was filmed on March 7, 2016, occurred after a night on the red carpet for the premiere of A Perfect Match — the Hollywood evening turned into a nightmare after Combs became “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye,” per the legal complaint. The abuse continued later on after he fell asleep as she attempted to leave — that’s where the video clip picked up and showed Combs physically assaulting her near the elevator bank of the hotel, wearing only a white towel around his waist. She attempted to leave the premises, but he tried to drag her back to their hotel room after she fell to the floor. Ventura managed to stand upright and grabbed hotel phone to call for help, but the rapper sat in a hallway chair and began to hurl objects from a table at his girlfriend.

The complaint spelled out how horrendous the abuse was for Ventura, both physically and emotionally. “Upon realizing that her running away would cause Mr. Combs to be even angrier with her, and completely stuck in his vicious cycle of abuse, Ms. Ventura returned to the hotel with the intention of apologizing for running away from her abuser,” the complaint alleged. “When she returned, hotel security staff urged her to get back into a cab and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage showing Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her in the hotel hallway.” The suit also claimed that the InterContinental Century City was paid $50,000 by Combs for the footage.

While Combs’ lawyer, Ben Brafman denied the allegations to CNN, the suit brought by Ventura was settled in 24 hours. “A decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” the attorney said in a statement. “Mr. Combs‘ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have opened up about surviving sexual assault.

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