Smith Schmidt I go ahead and raise your right hand please. Do you solemnly state that the testimony you may give and that is not before the court the truth the whole truth and to put the truth so I’ll help you guys. I do. Thank you. May I please have you state and spell your first and last name for the record? Leanne Schmidt L E A N E Last name S H M I D.

Great. Thank you. You may take this seat. Please watch your go. Thank you, honor. Good morning, M. Good morning. You are mother. Yes, I am. You gave birth to her, correct? I did. She’s not adopted, is it? No, she’s not. Okay. And how many kids do you have? I have a total of five kids. She’s the first. Imani is the eldest.

Um, did she live with you up until a certain period of time? She lived with me from the time she was born until she was age 19. Okay. Uh, did Imani Ellis during her time with you from 0 to 19 ever have one fight of one fight in her life? Never. Did she ever assault and batter anybody? Never. Did she ever hit anybody? Never.

Scratch anybody? Never. Did anyone hit Ammani Ellis in those 19 years? Never. Uh, I just want to know a little bit more about you. What do you do for a living? I’m a licensed uh phabotamist uh currently working for Kek Medicine of USC. And what is phabotamist for those that don’t know what it is? The phabotamist is a Greek word meaning a person who extracts blood from a vein uh via tube to vein.

And u do you work in a medical center or or hospital? I work at Kek USC School of Medicine. It’s a it’s a outpatient laboratory. Okay. You work for the university? Yes. Okay. Um As far as um are you aware of the facts of this case? Yes, I am. And what is your understanding of it? Why are we here today? Objection.

Do you have any information about an assault and battery that occurred to Ammani Ellis? Objection say unless she was there. Were you there? I was not. Were you there in spirit? Of course. Um what is your understanding about your daughter’s profession uh in 2018? What what was her profession to your understanding? Objection here says I’m not sure what this is going on.

 So let me move on. Was Ammani Ellis a security guard from 2014 to 2018? Yes, she was. And how do you know that? Attention here. You may answer. Can you repeat the question, please? Yeah. Was Ammani Ellis a security guard from 2014 to 2018? Yes, she was. And how do you know that? Uh, I was there when she uh went on her uh interview, not physically there, but she did notify me of the interview and she notified me of her hire date.

Okay. Yeah. Um, was her plan to continue in security and law enforcement? Objection. Yes. Why don’t we move on to what she knows, not what she was told. Do you know if Ammani Ellis was interested in being a police officer in the future? So same. Did you notice some changes in Emani Ellis after this incident on February 24th, 2018? Yes, I did.

What were the changes that you noticed? Uh I noticed changes in terms of um a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression and just her general uh well-being has changed dramatically. Um were you advised uh well did you notice after the incident that Ellis had a scar to her face? I did. Where was the scar? The scar uh was located on the left side of her face.

And after she left your home when she was 19, uh when the incident occurred, she was approximately 25 years old. Correct. She was. Yes. Correct. So in those six years where she didn’t live with you full-time, uh how far away was she and did you see her on a regular basis? Compound. I would see her probably maybe two to three times a week.

 Um we would visit frequently. Yes. Okay. Um and in those 25 years uh did Miss Ammani Ellis ever uh to your knowledge sustain a scar on her left or anywhere on her face? Yes, she did sustain that scar. I visibly saw it myself. No, I understand. But my question is aside from the incident, I guess the question what I want to know is do you have knowledge if Miss Sman Alice your daughter sustained this sustained this scar from somewhere else? Objection.

Something else outside of this incident? No. Do you have any information for that? If ma’am, if there’s an objection, please let me rule one. Objection. So your your um understanding is that the scar to her face was caused from this incident. Objection. Max foundation calls respect. How do you know that the scar was to your daughter’s face was caused by this incident? Objection.

She says over you can answer. She did notify me and call me right after the incident telling me that she had been scratched in the face and spit on. Okay. Um, how long after the incident did you go and see your daughter? She did she come to you? She actually came to visit me. Uh, I believe later that day. Okay.

Did she look upset? Was she crying? What happened? Uh, she was hysterical, upset, crying. um just upset throughout the whole situation. And um was your daughter a fan of Cardi B before this incident? Absolutely. Were you a fan of Cardi B before this incident? Yes, I was. Are you a fan of Cardi B? actually relevant.

Uh when you said that uh your daughter was spit on um did your daughter tell you that? Did you see that? How did you learn? This characterizes the festival foundation. Aside from um I’ll start that. Are you aware if your daughter had any car accidents? I withdraw the question. Were you advised that your daughter had a car accident in 2021 and 2023? Objection foundation.

Do you know if your daughter sustained injuries in any car accidents? Objection. Earlier you testified that your daughter um had contacted you after the incident. Did she call you over the telephone? She did. Okay. And If the incident occurred around 1:30 p.m., how long after the incident do you believe she called you? I would say about 30 minutes after she called.

Could it Could it have been a shorter time? Objection. Culture speculation. Could it have been a longer time? Objection. How did you come up with 30 minutes? uh based on around the time that she called um it was like a little bit after right away after the incident. And so my speculation is 30 minutes. And when she called you, was she crying? Was she yelling? What did she what was she doing? She was hysterically crying, upset, um just overall just could barely get it out.

She was so upset over the ordeal. What did she tell you? There’s a system. Um just so we’re clear from the during the uh your daughter is now 32, correct? In these 32 years, have you uh seen your daughter fight physically with anybody? Not one fight, not even in school. Okay. Um would you consider her a peacemaker? Objection foundation speculation.

You can absolutely. And why is that? Uh Imani is a very compassionate person. Uh I believe that she has very good uh she’s she has very good character in terms of having um a sense of um sensitivity to others and how they feel. U do you know what Ammani Ellis does with her time now as far as work? Objection. Do you ever uh speak with Ammani Ellis about her current profession? Uh no, not really.

And she’s currently in somewhere in the medical field. That correct? And subject Earlier you you testified that Ammani Ellis was spit on. Where did you learn that information? Objection. Sorry. Have you ever uh seen Cardi B before today? Uh on television. How many times? Too many to count. More than five. Yes. More than 50.

When you saw her in television, isn’t it true that her nails are always very long? Objection. Black speculation and relative. Does uh if you look at the defendant now, you see her fingernails? Yes. Would you consider those short, long, or medium fingernails? Objection. Short. Okay.

 Um, did you when you saw Cardi B, did she ever have fingernails that size? No, they were always very long. How long? Two to three inches long. So, what you see now is not normal. Correct. Correct. No further questions. All right. Thank you, brother. This uh Sure. Um, just a few questions. You love your daughter, right? Absolutely. And you’re here to help her, right? Yes.

And you believe her? Yes. And you believe her even if you don’t need evidence to believe her, do you? I believe her. Okay. Were you aware that when she was um when this happened two days after the alleged incident that your daughter wrote her boss and admitted yelling and cursing well yelling at uh Cardi? Can you repeat the question, please? Objection.

Are you aware that your daughter in an incident report to her boss two days after the alleged incident admitted to her boss uh to her supervisor that she had gotten into a screaming match with Cardi and had yelled at Cardi? Objection misates the uh the document. Are you aware that that your honor, excuse me, your daughter apologized to Al Ally for her misconduct that day? Objection. Mistakes the document.

Are you aware of that? Now, uh I was not involved in that conversation. So, no, I was not aware of that. And do you uh were you aware that in her report to her boss two days after the incident, she instead claimed that Cardi had scratched your daughter’s nose? Again, I was not a part of that conversation nor email or text.

 So, I do not know. Okay. All the questions I have for you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Actually, I don’t have any questions. All right. Any questions from the jury? All right. Can this witness be excused? Yes, please. All right. Thanks for coming down, man. Thank you. All right. Does pliff have another witness to call? Yes, your honor.

 Uh pl call is Diane Schmidt. Can this witness stay here now that she’s testified? If she’s not going to be recalled, she might be recalled. What’s that? She might be recalled. Yes. Then no. Thank you. I will get her. Thank you. Please stand right next to the court recorder. That’s fine. Right there. That’s fine. Thank you.

 Please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly state that the testimony you may give in the cause now pending before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So have you got Thank you. May I please have you state and spell your first and last name for the record, please? Diane Schmidt. D I A N E S H M I D.

All right. Thank you. You may take a seat. Please watch your step. Thank you. Good morning, Mr. You’re Emmani Ellis’s grandmother. I am. You’re you live in Las Vegas? I do. And what what did you do uh for a living before you retired? I work for City National Bank. For how many years? Here in LA. How many years? Probably 12 years. 13 years.

 I retired from there. Okay. Uh did you um you are um I’m sorry on how many what what type of basis would you seem Ellis over the last eight years? She tries to come see me every month unless business takes her other way, you know, elsewhere. She’s there almost every month. What if we go a little further? When she was born, uh, in 1992 up until the present, um, you saw her regularly? I saw her every week. Every week.

 In fact, when she came home from the hospital, she came to me. Her mother was stay. She was sick for a while, but uh, she came to me every week and her and her other sister. And, um, you were involved in her day-to-day activities, the weekly activities. Uh sometimes sometimes when she asked or whatever. Did she ever get in any fights to your knowledge? Never. She was always the mediator.

 She always tried to keep things calm. She has five brothers and sisters. She’s tried always to keep it. She’s the eldest, you know. So, do you consider her a peacemaker? Oh, definitely. Definitely. What is your understanding of um how she got the scar to her face? Objection foundation. What is what? Do you know um how Ellis got the scar on her face? Objection foundation lady.

Are you aware that Ellis was assaulted and battered in 2018? 16 council. Again, focus on what she knows. Do you know if Ammani Ellis was ever assaulted? Yes, I do. She called me almost after it. What are some of the changes? Well, strike that. Did you notice a change in Ellis in some point in her life? Well, after this incident, she she was depressed.

 She she was really disappointed. She I think she liked Cardi before the the incident and she was shocked that she was reacted that way and she just was depressed and every time she relived it listening to her music on the radio and it was kind of she couldn’t really avoid it. So, it just it affected her cuz she couldn’t make it right.

And um the incident you were just telling us about, when approximately did it happen to your It was right after my birthday, but it was I I don’t know what the year was, but it was a long time ago. When is your birthday? February 16th. If I told you the incident happened on February 24th of 2018, would that refresh your record? Yeah, that sounds pretty clear.

 I don’t know. You said 2018. Yes. Yeah, that’s about right. And you notice the change in your granddaughter after 2018? Yeah. Right after your birthday. Yeah. Did you Did you see the scar to Iman Ellis’s face after February 24th of 2018? Objection foundation lady. You can answer. I can’t. Uh yeah, I did. She was uh well she a pretty girl she wants to maintain her her face and it was like she was felt it it damaged her face and she was trying to make that right.

All right. Uh now let’s take it from birth 1992 up until February 24th of 2018. Okay. In that time period did Ammani Ellis to your knowledge ever sustain a scar to anywhere on her face? Not that I know of. Did you ever see a scar during that time? And after this incident on February 24th of 2018, you with your own eyes saw the scar to her face? Oh yeah, I saw it.

Okay. And when she got plastic surgery from Dr. Mullikin, uh, did it improve foundation? You can answer. Uh, yeah, he he was actually a very good surge. He covered it very well. And it is still present now a little bit. Correct. very slightly, but she’s lucky. No further questions. Thank you. All right. Thank you, honor.

Hello, Miss Schmidt. Hello. My name is Peter Anderson, and I just have a few questions for you. Thank you for coming in. Um, I take it you love your your granddaughter, correct? Yeah. And you’re here to help her, right? Well, if I can. Thank you. And um and I apologize for objecting.

 It’s one of the things that I have to do in order to understand. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Um and you don’t need evidence to to believe her. She’s your granddaughter, right? She either has it or she doesn’t. I mean, you either see it or you don’t. Okay. Um, you know, she was employed as a security guard, right? Mhm. And yes, but that’s a yes.

Yes. Yeah. Sometimes it’s hard for the court reporter if you if someone says, “Uh-huh.” Okay. Yeah. So, you knew she was employed by as a sec a security guard and uh you note that she was fired after the alleged instant incident with actually misstates the testimony. Well, let me go back. You knew that she was employed as a security guard, right? Yes.

And did were you aware she was fired? Action calls for speculation. [Music] But you could answer the question. Were you aware that she was fired as a security guard? It was my understanding she was told that she was going to be fired. Okay. Um, bye. Were you aware that at the time, two days after the incident, she apologized to the security guard company for her own misconduct that day of the alleged incident? I told you she was a she’s a person that tries to make sure everything is straightened up. So, she apologized for

what she saw as a a disturbance, I think. Uh, were you aware that she apologized to the security company that employed her for her own misconduct? Call respect. Did she ever tell you that? No. I didn’t discuss that with her. Did she ever tell you that she told the company that employed her that Carney scratched her on her nose, not her cheek? Objection. Mistakes document.

Over. She didn’t tell you that, did she? What? She didn’t tell you that. Just that she was like her finger was all over her face. So, I mean, it could could be land anywhere. Okay. But you only saw a scar, you say, on on her cheek? On her cheek. You never saw any scar on her nose, did you? No, I not on her nose. I didn’t.

Did you notice a scar on her nose, ma’am? No. Okay. Thank you. I’m sorry I couldn’t quite hear you. Oh, and um I think that’s all the questions that I have for you. Thank you. All right. Yes. Are you aware that in the incident report the council asked you about, uh, your granddaughter expressed that the defendant pointed her 3-in acrylic fingernails into her face? Objection. Set the scope.

Are you aware in the incident report which council represented that your granddaughter apologized? Uh are you aware that she apologized for being belittled? Objection. I’m sorry. Objection that this character is a document outside the scope. Are you aware that she apologized for being called? Council, I don’t want to establish that she knows anything about that statement.

Do you know uh things about the statement like the different um words that were used against your granddaughter? Objection. Representative, are you aware that your granddaughter was called the N word? Objection. Could I have anything further? I’m sorry. Do you have anything further? Yes. If your granddaughter apologized, could she have been apologizing for her part of the incident? Objection.

Isn’t it true that in every incident there’s two parts? Objection. And people are responsible for their back witness. Do you have any questions about facts? Sorry, one moment here. That’s all you are. Thank you very much. All right. Can you recross? I know. Thank you. All right. questions from the jury. Do you want to write that out, please? Do it.