Afroman is speaking out after winning a blockbuster trial verdict against a group of Ohio police officers, celebrating a win that’s “not only for artists, it’s for Americans.”
The morning after a jury rejected an unusual lawsuit that accused Afroman of defaming seven sheriff’s deputies by mocking them after they raided his property, the “Because I Got High” rapper (Joseph Foreman) spoke out on CBS Mornings about his courtroom victory.
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“It’s not only for artists, it’s for Americans,” Afroman told the network on Thursday (March 19). “We have freedom of speech. They did me wrong and sued me because I was talking about it. It’s ‘For the people, by the people,’ so when the people can’t use their freedom of speech — bring up the problem, address the problem — then the problem never gets solved.”
Wednesday’s verdict ended a case that started with a 2022 raid by the Adams County Sheriff’s Department on Afroman’s home. With guns drawn, officers smashed down his door and seized $5,031 in cash, but no wrongdoing was uncovered, no charges were ever filed and the money was later returned.
After the search, Afroman created music videos and other social posts mocking the officers, including a video for a song called “Lemon Pound Cake” in which he ridiculed one deputy for apparently eyeing a cake on his counter.
In 2023, seven officers (Shawn D. Cooley, Justin Cooley, Lisa Phillips, Michael D. Estep, Shawn S. Grooms, Brian Newland and Randolph L. Walters, Jr.) filed a civil lawsuit claiming they’d suffered “emotional distress” and been “subjected to threats, including death threats” because of Afroman’s posts.
But at trial this week, Afroman testified that he had a First Amendment right to mock the officers, particularly after they smashed down his door for ultimately no reason: “All of this is their fault, and they have the audacity to sue me.”
That argument resonated with the jury. After just hours of deliberation on Wednesday, the jury sided entirely with Afroman, clearing him of liability for defamation or invasion of privacy: “In all circumstances, the jury finds in favor of the defendant,” Judge Jonathan Hein said, speaking to the rapper, the accusers and their lawyers.
The verdict ended a three-day trial that captivated social media with outlandish moments from the courtroom, including Afroman mounting a colorful defense from the witness stand in a flamboyant American flag suit. It also cleared him of a whopping $3.9 million damages award sought by the officers.
