Prosecutor's Office: "Criminal Prosecution Not Possible Due to Statute of Limitations"
Ex-Girlfriend Filed Civil Suit in November Last Year, Then Reached Settlement
Sean Diddy Combs (54), a major figure in the American hip-hop scene known by the stage name 'Puff Daddy,' is causing a stir after a video showing him assaulting his ex-girlfriend, singer Kesha (real name Cassandra Ventura), eight years ago was released.
On the 17th (local time), CNN obtained and released CCTV footage filmed on March 5, 2016, in a hotel corridor in Los Angeles (LA).
Video of hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs assaulting his girlfriend released by US CNN broadcast. [Photo by CNN/Yonhap News]
In the video, a man believed to be Combs, wearing only a towel, runs down the hotel corridor, grabs Kesha by the nape of her neck as she stands in front of an elevator, throws her down, and kicks her.
The man then picks up Kesha's bag from the floor and kicks her again while she lies motionless. He grabs the hoodie Kesha is wearing and drags her back the way he came. When the towel wrapped around his lower body begins to come loose, he steps back from Kesha to adjust it.
The video also shows the man sitting on a chair placed in the corridor, throwing decorative items at Kesha.
Kesha's lawyer told CNN, "This horrific video further confirms Combs' abusive behavior," adding, "The courage and strength Ms. Ventura has shown in revealing this truth are beyond words."
Kesha, who dated Combs from 2007 to 2018, filed a civil lawsuit against him last November. In the complaint, she stated that on the day of the 2016 assault, "Combs, who was extremely intoxicated, punched her in the face, causing bruising around her eye."
She also claimed that Combs paid $50,000 (approximately 67.78 million KRW) to the hotel to bribe them for the CCTV footage.
Furthermore, Kesha revealed that she was raped by Combs in 2018 and suffered multiple instances of physical and other abuses. However, the lawsuit did not proceed as Kesha reached a settlement with Combs the day after filing the suit.
The LA County District Attorney's Office issued a statement saying, "We are aware that a video showing a man known as Sean Combs assaulting a young woman in LA is circulating online," adding, "If the acts in the video occurred in 2016, unfortunately, the statute of limitations for assault charges has passed, so we cannot prosecute."
They continued, "Although law enforcement has not presented any cases related to the assault in the video against Mr. Combs, we encourage any victims or witnesses to report to law enforcement."
Meanwhile, Combs is known as the founder of Bad Boy Records, representing East Coast hip-hop, and has expanded his business into clothing and alcoholic beverages, reportedly holding assets exceeding $1 billion (approximately 1.3555 trillion KRW).
He was previously sued for sexual assault by a woman named Joy Dickerson-Neal, who appeared in one of his music videos. Additionally, producer Rodney Jones, who worked with him, filed a lawsuit in federal court last February, claiming Combs forced him to procure prostitutes.
In connection with these matters, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted a large-scale search of Combs' residences in Miami and LA last March.
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