An Adams County jury has sided with rapper Afroman in a civil trial that tested the boundaries of artistic expression and freedom of speech. The “Because I Got High” artist, born Joseph Foreman, was visibly emotional after the verdict was read on Wednesday, ending a three-day trial where seven Ohio sheriff’s deputies accused him of using their likenesses without permission in music videos mocking their 2022 raid on his home. “I didn’t win, America won,” Afroman told reporters outside the courthouse, still wearing his signature red, white, and blue flag suit. “America still has freedom of speech. It’s still for the people by the people.”
The case stems from an August 2022 search of Afroman’s home in Winchester, Ohio, approximately 50 miles outside Cincinnati. Deputies from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office executed a warrant based on allegations of drug trafficking and kidnapping, arriving with guns drawn and breaking down the door. The search yielded no evidence, and no charges were ever filed against the rapper. However, the raid caused significant property damage, including a broken gate and front door, and Afroman alleged that $400 went missing from cash seized during the search . His home surveillance system captured the entire encounter, footage he would later use to fight back.
Four months after the raid, Afroman released “Will You Help Me Repair My Door,” a song directly addressing the deputies with lyrics like, “Did you find what you were looking for? Would you like a slice of lemon pound cake?”. The music video, featuring actual raid footage of officers rummaging through his possessions, has amassed over 9 million views on YouTube. He followed up with “Lemon Pound Cake,” named after a moment when a deputy paused mid-raid to eye a cake in his kitchen. That video drew 3.6 million views. He also released merchandise featuring the deputies’ faces and posted repeatedly about the incident on social media, turning a traumatic home invasion into a platform for protest.
The trial brought raw emotions from both sides. Deputy Lisa Phillips broke down in tears as videos played in court, describing the humiliation she faced after Afroman released content that questioned her gender and sexuality. Sgt. Randy Walters testified that his child was bullied at school over the posts and came home crying. The deputies sought nearly $4 million in damages, claiming the videos caused “humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment and loss of reputation” . Their attorney, Bob Klingler, argued in closing statements that Afroman “perpetuated lies intentionally, repeatedly, over three and a half years on the internet about these seven brave deputy sheriffs”.
When Afroman testified, he didn’t hold back. “All of this is their fault,” he told the court . “If they hadn’t wrongly raided my house, there would be no lawsuit, I would not know their names, they wouldn’t be on my home surveillance system, and there would be no songs” . Dressed in his American flag suit and matching sunglasses, he argued he was simply exercising his constitutional rights . “I have freedom of speech. I’m a rapper. I entertain,” he told prosecutors. “I entertain for a living like you practice law for a living, so I have to go to work”.
Defense attorney David Osborne Jr. built the case around freedom of speech, arguing that the deputies, as public officials, are subject to criticism and cannot use courts to silence commentary simply because it hurts their feelings. “Look at that suit,” Osborne told the jury, gesturing to Afroman’s flag ensemble. “Does this look like a man who thinks that everybody’s going to assume that everything he’s saying is fact?” . The ACLU had previously called the lawsuit “nothing short of absurd,” warning that a verdict against Afroman would chill free speech.
After the jury delivered its unanimous verdict in Afroman’s favor, supporters outside the courthouse passed out slices of lemon pound cake to celebrate. The rapper, fighting back tears, told WCPO, “I’m glad things went my way, but if they would’ve taken it all from me, I was happy about all the love I was getting from everybody after them people kicked my door in”. He ended with a line befitting the moment: “When life gives you lemons, you make lemon pound cake”.
