CCTV footage has surfaced, appearing to show rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs attacking singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016.
The video, aired by CNN, emerged following allegations made by Ms. Ventura against her ex-boyfriend and producer in a lawsuit last year.
While Ms. Ventura has not commented, her lawyer stated that the footage confirms “the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs.”
Mr. Combs’ lawyer has not responded to a BBC request for comment.
The BBC has not independently verified the video, which appears to be a compilation of surveillance footage dated March 5, 2016.
According to CNN, the footage was filmed at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
The clip shows Ms. Ventura leaving a hotel room and walking towards a row of elevators. A shirtless man, holding a towel around his waist, hurries down the hallway. Upon catching up to her, he grabs her, throws her to the floor, and causes her to drop some luggage.
He then kicks her while she is on the ground, picks up her bags, kicks her a second time, and attempts to drag her by her shirt.
The attacker is seen leaving briefly before returning, shoving Ms. Ventura as she stands up, sitting in a chair near the elevators, and throwing an object.
A lawyer for R&B singer Ms. Ventura, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement: “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.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said on Friday that the assault captured in the video might be too old to prosecute.
“We find the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch,” it said in a statement.
“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.”
In a now-settled federal lawsuit last year, Ms Ventura alleged that “around March 2016” Mr Combs “became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye”.
“After he fell asleep, Ms Ventura tried to leave the hotel room, but as she exited, Mr Combs awoke and began screaming at Ms Ventura.
“He followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her. He grabbed at her, and then took glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape,” the documents said.
The lawsuit alleged that the rap mogul had purchased the footage from the hotel for $50,000 (£39,000).
Her legal action against Mr Combs, which accused him of rape and sexual trafficking over a decade, was settled for an undisclosed sum one day after it was filed in November last year.
Mr Combs’ lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said at the time that the settlement “is in no way an admission of wrongdoing”.
“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.”
Since then, several other women have filed lawsuits accusing the rapper of sexual misconduct.
His homes in Los Angeles and Miami, Florida, were raided last month as part of a federal investigation into human trafficking.
Ms Ventura formally was signed to Mr Combs’ record label, Bad Boy, and released several hits in the 2000s, including songs that featured Diddy.
Her most famous tracks include Me & U, Long Way to Go and Official Girl, featuring Lil Wayne.
