Afroman is reportedly being sued by seven members of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio. The officers raided the political activist and rapper’s dwelling in August 2022.
They’ve since alleged that he “used surveillance video of the raid for multiple commercial purposes,” as reported by WCPO.
RELATED: Afroman’s House Raided By Ohio Police As They Reportedly Searched For Drugs At “Because I Got High” Rapper’s Home
Rapper Afroman’s Ohio dwelling raided by Adams County Sheriff’s Office https://t.co/Q1tOVzneq6
— WCPO 9 (@WCPO) August 24, 2022
The Aftermath Of The Police’s 2022 Raid On Afroman’s Home
According to WCPO, a search warrant was served at Afroman’s dwelling on August 21, 2022, round 8 p.m. He shared a number of images and movies of the raid, through Instagram, within the days following the incident.
In the caption of Afroman’s first submit, he accused the officers of burglarizing his dwelling. As effectively as trying to find medication, and stealing cash.
In one video, officers might be seen coming into Afroman’s storage with assault rifles.
According to WCPO, Sergeant Brian Newland of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office defined that the raid was a part of an “ongoing investigation.” However, he couldn’t launch the main points.
Afroman Showed The Damage Police Allegedly Made To His Home
In an interview with TMZ, Afroman, whose actual identify is Joseph Foreman, defined that police took “trace amounts of some joints.” As effectively as a “vape and hemp.” However, the rapper was primarily upset concerning the harm that officers allegedly made to his dwelling.
At the time, Afroman alleged to TMZ that officers might have been searching for “hundreds and thousands of pounds” of drug substances.
“They really didn’t have to run up my driveway with AR-15s and all kind of assault weapons. I would’ve gladly just given that to them. So I don’t know what’s behind destroying all my property…”
Additionally, he defined that the Adams County Sheriff’s Office wished him to come back all the way down to make a press release concerning the raid. However, he felt it might be in his finest curiosity to retain a lawyer, notably civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Police Officers Say Afroman Used Footage Of The Raid Commercially
The seven officers concerned within the raid filed a lawsuit in opposition to Afroman on March 13, 2023, on the Adam’s County Clerk Of Courts. The officers allege that Afroman used the raid footage “for music videos, to promote his tours and brand.” As effectively as in “various social media posts and more.”
The quotation of “music videos” within the lawsuit appears to seek advice from Afroman’s music video for “Will You Help Me Repair My Door.”
In the music video, Afroman revealed that the search warrant issued on his dwelling in August, additionally listed “kidnapping” as a possible trigger. The 48-year-old appeared to poke enjoyable on the declare and questioned why officers would search his swimsuit pockets in the event that they had been all for discovering a kidnapping sufferer.
In the music video, Afroman additionally poked enjoyable at one officer who appeared to point out curiosity in a lemon pound cake that was sitting in his kitchen. He additionally distributed T-shirts poking enjoyable on the reference.
Additional Allegations Included In The Lawsuit Against Afroman
In addition, the plaintiffs additionally allege that Afroman used their likenesses and depictions “without the authorization of any of the plaintiffs to do so.” Due to the rapper’s actions, the officers say they’ve “suffered humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment and loss of reputation.”
Additionally, the officers allege that they’ve obtained “death threats” due to Afroman’s actions.
“In some instances, it has made it more difficult and even more dangerous for Plaintiffs to carry out their official duties because of comments made and attitude expressed toward them by members of the public.”
The lawsuit reads.
The plaintiffs additionally want to cease Afroman from utilizing their likenesses for “future commercial use,” and are asking for all media that includes them to be taken down. Furthermore, they’re additionally looking for greater than $25,000 in damages, which they allege is the quantity Afroman “has profited.”
The full lawsuit might be considered right here: Afroman Lawsuit by WCPO 9 News
Afroman Plans To Counter Sue
Afroman took to Instagram earlier this week and shared his plans to countersue within the caption of an instagram submit he shared on Wednesday, March 22.
” My home is my property, my video digital camera movies, every thing on my property as they start, stealing my cash, disconnecting plus destroying my video digital camera system […] Criminals caught within the act of vandalizing and stealing cash […] We are planning to counter sue for the illegal raid, cash being stolen, and for the plain harm this had on my purchasers household, profession and property.”