Cardi B Faces Yet Another Round in ‘Back Tattoo’ Lawsuit

Regardless of rising victorious at trial final yr, Cardi B is now going through one other spherical within the much-publicized “again tattoo” lawsuit that was first filed in opposition to her in 2017.

Plaintiff Kevin Brophy Jr. only recently moved to revive the years-running authorized battle, which has adopted Cardi B (full identify Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar) from her mid-20s and into her 30s. For background, the comparatively easy motion revolves across the cowl picture of the rapper’s first mixtape, 2016’s Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1.

Featured prominently in stated cowl picture is the closely tattooed again (however not the face) of Toronto-based The6AtSix, who assumed a compromising place earlier than Cardi B when posing for the shot. Brophy Jr. claims that his son – 5 years previous when the swimsuit initiated however at present approaching or in his teen years – introduced him with a replica of the quilt picture.

And for sure, the surprising state of affairs introduced with it a group of awkward questions, that are stated to have laid the groundwork for Brophy Jr.’s grievance. Moreover, the plaintiff maintains (amongst different issues) that the lookalike tattoo has prompted skilled difficulties as a result of he steadily removes his shirt at his surf-marketing job.

Now, after Cardi B’s 2019 deposition, a number of dismissal makes an attempt, the rapper’s initially famous trial victory, and an unsuccessful late-2022 effort to vacate the judgement, Brophy Jr. and his authorized crew are as soon as once more pushing for a brand new trial.

This newest try to overturn the jury’s verdict got here to gentle in a Rule 59 movement (and an related memorandum) from the plaintiff and his counsel, who allege that “two vital prejudicial errors of regulation” resulted in an “unfair trial.”

The primary of those alleged prejudicial errors of regulation entails Brophy Jr.’s purportedly being “disadvantaged of his elementary and substantial proper to cross-examine Cardi B at trial.” Forward of this trial, the court docket decided that “every celebration would have two alternatives to look at every witness,” per Brophy Jr.’s movement.

“When Plaintiff known as Almanzar, to the stand, it was clear she had little interest in answering the questions posed, and as a substitute engaged in a wide range of theatrics,” Brophy Jr. and his attorneys wrote of Cardi B’s preliminary examination throughout the trial. “Almanzar refused to reply easy questions, repeatedly veered off-topic and disclosed privileged and confidential mediation communications.”

Taking into consideration this level, the presiding choose is alleged to have ended the rapper’s time on the stand earlier than the aforesaid cross-examination.

“When Defendants’ examination concluded,” the movement recaps, “Plaintiff’s counsel stood as much as train Plaintiff’s proper to cross-examine the witness. Nevertheless, the Court docket instantly ended the examination, and excused Almanzar from the stand.”

Concerning the second of the above-noted “prejudicial errors of regulation,” the submitting likewise takes intention on the court docket’s alleged choice to exclude proof from Cardi B’s separate defamation trial. The “Up” artist gained the latter (albeit as a plaintiff) with the identical trial counsel as within the tattoo swimsuit, and Brophy Jr. says that the defamation matter’s claims “are strikingly much like the claims on this case.”

“It was prejudicial error to exclude the Atlanta Trial proof on FRE 403 grounds, with out inspecting the precise proof proffered in response to Defendants’ premature oral movement in limine. This error requires a brand new trial,” the authorized textual content drives house.

Lastly, the plaintiff believes that he’s entitled to a brand new trial even when the presiding choose doesn’t agree with the complete scope of the arguments pertaining to the defamation-case proof and the dearth of a cross-examination.

“Right here, even when the Court docket concludes its faulty exclusion of the Atlanta Trial proof and abstract denial of Plaintiff’s proper to cross-examine Defendant Almanzar had been insufficiently prejudicial by themselves, the cumulative influence of these errors, together with Almanzar’s recalcitrant trial techniques, had been ample to have an effect on Plaintiff’s substantive proper to a good trial and a brand new trial needs to be ordered,” the movement reads in direction of its finish.