Sean 'Diddy' Combs Won't Face Charges In Attack On Singer Cassie: DA

LOS ANGELES, CA — Rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs won't face charges for a violent attack on his then-girlfriend captured by hotel security cameras in 2016, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Saturday.

The video, which recently surfaced and aired on CNN Friday, shows Combs, clad in nothing but a towel, punching, kicking and chasing Cassie Ventura down a hallway at the then-InterContinental Hotel in Century City. Though captured on video, the statute of limitations to prosecute appears to have expired, according to the district attorney.

"We are aware of the video that has been circulating online allegedly depicting Sean Combs assaulting a young woman in Los Angeles," the District Attorney's Office said in a statement posted on social media late Friday. "We find the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch. If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.

"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 statement continued.

The rapper and music mogul has been embroiled in legal issues in recent months, including multiple lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and human trafficking and searches of his Los Angeles, New York and Miami properties by Department of Homeland Security investigators.

In the video dated March 5, 2016 Combs is seen dragging Ventura down the hallway, throwing a vase at her, pushing her to the ground and kicking her.

The attack closely resembles the description of an incident at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel described in a November lawsuit filed by Cassie that alleged years of sexual abuse and other violence from Combs.

The lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed but spurred intense scrutiny of Combs, with several more lawsuits filed in the following months, along with a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation that led authorities to raid Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami.

The federal lawsuit accusing Combs of rape and abuse was settled under undisclosed terms.

The rapper had issued a statement vehemently denying the suit's allegations, suggesting Ventura was looking for a "payday."

However, the video appears to verify her account of the attack.

“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs," said Douglas Wigdor, an attorney for Cassie who has filed other lawsuits against Combs. "Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”

Representatives for Combs did not immediately provide comment on the video, but he has previously denied the allegations in the lawsuits, and his lawyers have said he denies any wrongdoing.

In late March, federal agents raided Diddy's homes in Miami and in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles.

According to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, the raids were "part of an ongoing investigation," but no details were released.

The nature of the probe was unclear, but several reports indicated it was part of a federal sex trafficking investigation. Diddy has been targeted in multiple lawsuits in recent months -- including Ventura's -- accusing him of sex abuse. In addition to Ventura, two other women filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse.

Music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr. filed a lawsuit earlier this year accusing Diddy of groping him while the pair worked together on Diddy's album "The Love Album: Off the Grid." The lawsuit also included allegations that Diddy and his son engaged in a "sex-trafficking venture."

Diddy's attorney, Shawn Holley, issued a statement in response saying, "Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.

"We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies."

Following the federal raids in March, Combs attorney Aaron Dyer insisted on the rapper's innocence and accused authorities of a "gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences."

"There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities," Dyer said.

"Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. This unprecedented ambush -- paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence -- leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."

>> Read more and watch the video via CNN.

City News Service, The Associated Press and Patch Staffer Lucas Combos contributed to this report.