Rapper Afroman (born Joseph Edgar Foreman) is taking legal offensive after filing a malicious prosecution lawsuit against former Adams County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Newland.
The lawsuit, filed in Adams County Common Pleas Court, comes after Newland and six other deputies previously dragged the Grammy-nominated artist to court over security footage used in his viral “Lemon Pound Cake” music videos. Afroman argues that the officers’ original defamation case was entirely groundless, forced him to incur massive legal fees, and caused him severe emotional distress.
The dispute stems from an August 2022 raid on Afroman’s Winchester, Ohio home, where officers executed a search warrant for drug trafficking and kidnapping. No illegal activity was found and zero criminal charges were filed, prompting Afroman to post home security footage on social media and incorporate it into diss tracks to pay for door damages.
Original Case: Seven law enforcement officers sued Afroman for nearly $4 million, claiming the viral videos subjected them to public humiliation and commercialized their likenesses.
The Counter-Strike: Following a jury verdict clearing Afroman of liability under First Amendment protections, the rapper launched his own suit targeting Sgt. Newland.
Malicious Prosecution Claim: Afroman’s complaint asserts that Newland’s legal action was “frivolous,” lacked any legal foundation, and was filed with malicious intent to retaliate against protected speech.
Afroman’s legal team is seeking compensation for accrued legal defense costs, alongside damages for the ongoing mental strain caused by years of litigation.
“The claims asserted by Defendant against Plaintiff in the prior lawsuit were not warranted under existing law,” the filing states, emphasizing that public officials cannot use civil litigation to silence citizens who expose police conduct.
