Afroman wins $3.9 million trial against seven Ohio police officers
Afroman has won his $3.9 million defamation trial against seven Ohio police officers.
The rapper, best known for his 2000 hit ‘Because I Got High’, was sued in 2023 by Adams County sheriff’s deputies, who claimed he defamed them, invaded their constitutional privacy, and caused intentional infliction of emotional distress.
According to CNN, the jury ruled in favour of Afroman on March 18th after a three-day trial.
Delivering his verdict, the judge said, “In all circumstances, the jury finds in favour of the defendant. No plaintiff verdict prevailed.”
Afroman celebrated outside the courthouse, saying, “We did it, America! Yeah, we did it! Freedom of speech! Right on! Right on!”
In August 2022, officers executed a search warrant at the rapper’s home over probable cause for kidnappings and narcotics, but no evidence was found, and no charges were filed.
After the raid, Afroman recorded a song called ‘Lemon Pound Cake’ and included home security footage of the incident in the music video. He claimed he made it to pay for damages such as a broken gate and busted door.
During the trial, he said, “After they run around my house with guns and kick down my door, I got the right to kick a can in my backyard, use my freedom of speech, turn my bad times into a good time.”
In another song, ‘Will You Help Me Repair My Door?’, he raps, “The warrant said, ‘Narcotics and kidnapping’/ Are you kidding? I make my money rapping,” and “You crooked cops need to stop it/ There are no kidnapping victims in my suit pockets.”
In closing arguments, his defence lawyer, David Osborne, said, “No reasonable person would expect a police officer not to be criticised. They’ve been called names before.”