Emani Ellis, the former security guard who accused Cardi B of assault in a high-profile civil lawsuit, has filed a motion for a new trial, citing a disruptive incident during the proceedings where the rapper allegedly threw a pen at a man in the gallery. The development, detailed in court filings submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court on November 4, 2025, comes two months after a jury unanimously cleared Cardi B of all charges in the seven-year-old case. Ellis’ legal team argues the courtroom outburst created an unfair atmosphere, potentially influencing the verdict and warranting a fresh hearing.

The original lawsuit stemmed from an altercation on February 25, 2018, at a Beverly Hills medical building where Ellis worked security. Ellis claimed Cardi B, then pregnant with her first child, Kulture, scratched her face with long nail extensions during a heated exchange over access to a restricted area. Ellis, who said the incident left her with a facial scar requiring cosmetic surgery, filed the $24 million suit in 2020, alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and false imprisonment. The case dragged through years of pretrial motions before reaching a jury in August 2025.

Testimony painted a chaotic picture. Ellis described feeling “humiliated and traumatized,” testifying that she lost her job after the confrontation and suffered ongoing emotional distress. Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, countered that Ellis had been aggressive, shoving her doctor and a receptionist before the rapper intervened. “It was a verbal incident,” Cardi testified on August 28, 2025. “She didn’t hit me. I was protecting my space.” Witnesses, including the doctor’s receptionist, supported Cardi’s account, describing an “epic yelling match” initiated by Ellis.

The trial drew crowds and viral moments, with Cardi arriving in designer outfits and delivering unfiltered testimony that became meme fodder. On September 2, 2025, during a lunch break, tensions boiled over when a man in the gallery reportedly prodded Cardi about her pregnancy, prompting her to hurl a pen in his direction. Video footage, captured by courtroom sketch artists and leaked to TMZ, showed the pen sailing past without contact, but Ellis’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, immediately objected, calling it “intimidating conduct” that prejudiced the proceedings. The judge issued a stern warning but allowed the trial to continue, and the jury deliberated for less than two hours before ruling in Cardi’s favor on September 3.

In the retrial motion, Blackburn argues the pen incident “irreparably tainted the atmosphere,” claiming it demonstrated Cardi’s “disrespectful demeanor” and may have swayed jurors toward sympathy for the defendant. “This was not an isolated outburst,” the filing states. “It occurred in a charged environment where the plaintiff was already vulnerable.” Ellis seeks to vacate the verdict and convene a new panel, potentially with enhanced security measures. Damages sought remain at $24 million, covering medical costs, lost wages, and emotional harm.

Cardi’s legal team, led by attorney Michael Friedman, dismissed the motion as “sour grapes” in a statement to Page Six. “The jury saw the facts and ruled accordingly,” Friedman said. “Ms. Ellis’ claims were thoroughly debunked, and this latest filing is a desperate bid for attention. We look forward to swift dismissal.” Cardi, who has not commented publicly, was spotted leaving a Los Angeles studio on November 5, focusing on her music amid the legal noise. The rapper, pregnant with her third child (fathered by NFL star Stefon Diggs), postponed tour dates through January 2026 for maternity rest.

The case’s roots trace to a routine security check gone wrong. Ellis, then 28 and employed at the upscale medical center for four years, said she was following protocol when Cardi and her entourage demanded entry to a private obstetrics suite. What started as words escalated, with Ellis alleging Cardi lunged, scratching her cheek and drawing blood. Cardi maintained she was the victim, testifying she was “very disabled” at eight months pregnant and only raised her voice in self-defense. Surveillance footage played in court showed a tense standoff but no clear contact, leaving much to witness interpretations.

The August trial was a spectacle. Cardi arrived daily in high fashion—Versace on Day 1, Balenciaga on Day 2—turning the courthouse into a runway. Her testimony went viral: When asked about her “real hair,” she quipped, “Honey, this is all me—extensions and attitude.” Jurors, a diverse group of nine Angelenos, deliberated briefly before finding no liability. Post-verdict, Cardi posted on Instagram: “Truth wins. Grateful for justice.”

Ellis, now 35 and working in private security, has rebuilt her life but carries the scar—both literal and figurative. “This case was about accountability,” she told supporters outside court in September. “A celebrity can’t just lash out.” Her attorney, Blackburn, known for high-stakes celeb suits, filed the motion citing California Code of Civil Procedure Section 657, arguing “misconduct” invalidated the outcome. A hearing is set for December 15, 2025, before Judge Michael Stern, who presided over the original trial.

Legal experts see slim odds for success. “Retrials over courtroom antics are rare,” says Loyola Law professor Joey Jackson. “The pen didn’t hit anyone, and the judge handled it. This feels like an appeal for appeal’s sake.” Still, it keeps Ellis’ story in the spotlight, highlighting power imbalances in celebrity disputes.

Cardi, meanwhile, is thriving. Her latest single “Enough (Miami)” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 in October, and she’s collaborating with Diggs on a Fenty-NFL capsule. The couple, expecting a daughter in March 2026, announced the gender in a sunset beach video that garnered 4 million views. “Life’s too short for grudges,” a source close to Cardi says. “She’s focused on family and the music.”

For Ellis, the fight continues. A GoFundMe for legal fees has raised $45,000, with donors praising her “courage against the machine.” As the retrial bid hangs in the balance, the 2018 scuffle—once a tabloid blip—remains a reminder: In Hollywood’s glare, even a scratch can scar deep.