Body Language Expert Reveals Whether Diddy’s Apology for Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend Cassie in Hotel Video Was Sincere
A video of Sean “Diddy” Combs made public recently has left anyone who watched it shocked and disgusted by what they saw.
The video released by CNN is from 2016. It shows the music mogul running out of a hotel room with a towel around his waist as he chases after his girlfriend-at-the-time Cassie Ventura, who is attempting to leave. Before she can get onto the elevator, Diddy grabs her from behind and throws her to the ground. He then kicks her and begins to gather her belongings to bring her back to the room before he kicks her again while she is motionless on the ground. Moments later, Diddy drags Cassie back toward the room before letting go of her sweatshirt.
In another instance, he shoves Cassie and can be seen picking up a vase from a table in the hallway and throwing it in her direction.
Less than 48 hours after the video was seen around the world, the Bad Boy Records founder admitted to what he could no longer deny and apologized for his actions. But many are questioning if he was being sincere or not. Here’s what body language expert Darren Stanton told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about Diddy’s apology message.
What a body language noticed about Diddy’s apology
Stanton is a body language and behavioral expert with a degree in psychology. He previously worked as a police officer and used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects. He later moved into media and TV as a consultant and has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.” Now, Stanton has analyzed the footage Diddy released of his apology and is sharing why he wasn’t being authentic.
“The direction where people look with their eyes is really interesting. P. Diddy was looking to his right, so we have to reverse that because it’s on camera,” Stanton explained, adding that the other way of looking reveals that he’s “making it up. He’s not remembering what he wants to say from the heart; he’s making it up because it sounds right. There’s inauthenticity in terms of what he’s saying.
“Also, it seems a little bit too rehearsed; almost like an actor that’s rehearsed what he wants to say to sound good or remorseful. The other thing is the way he mentioned that he sought professional help. We saw a quiver at the bottom of his lip and that tells me that there’s an emotional shift. He’s trying to really convey that [to the camera]. And lastly, we saw a chin thrust which is a sign of dominance or arrogance [to say] ‘I’m really important.’ People that are trying to be remorseful and say ‘sorry’ and be genuine don’t do that.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will not prosecute Diddy
Cassie previously filed a lawsuit against Diddy. It was settled out of court in November 2023 but what she alleged in that suit matches what was seen in the hotel surveillance.
Following the release of the video to the public the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office issued a statement via Instagram that read: “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.”
How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
