LA DA cites statute of limitations in refusing to prosecute Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs over 2016 beating of girlfriend

The Los Angeles district attorney’s office has announced that they cannot prosecute Sean “Diddy” Combs over a video showing him assaulting Cassie Ventura at a California hotel.

“The conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted,” implicating the statute of limitations in an Instagram post on Friday. California’s statute of limitations is one year for simple assault and three years for felony assault.

The footage, initially obtained by CNN, depicts the rapper in March 2016 grabbing Ventura, his then-girlfriend, by the neck, throwing her to the floor, and kicking her multiple times.

“As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs, but we encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to our office for support from our Bureau of Victims Services,” the office added in the post.

Last November, Ventura filed a civil lawsuit against Combs, alleging he paid the InterContinental Hotel in Century City $50,000 for the footage of him attacking her. Ventura’s lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount one day after she filed it.

“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs,” said Ventura’s lawyer in response to the video. “Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”

Combs has been the subject of five other lawsuits alleging various offenses from rape to sexual misconduct. Last month, the rapper’s homes in California and Florida were raided by federal authorities as part of an investigation into human trafficking.