Joseph Foreman, better known to the world as Afroman, gave testimony during the second day of a trial on March 17, defending himself against Ohio police officers who raided his home in 2022. The department sued him in 2023 after the entertainer used footage from the raid in a song and music video produced after the incident.
The recording artist, whose biggest hit was the weed anthem, “Because I Got High,” has been taken to court by several Adams County Sheriff’s deputies. In a lawsuit filed in 2023, they say that Afroman used video footage from his security cameras of the August 2022 raid that took place at his home in a music video without getting permission from the officers seen in the video. The “salty” cops alleged that they have suffered humiliation and received death threats.
The deputies claim that Afroman’s music and social media posts have caused “humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment and loss of reputation.”
The song in question is titled “Lemon Pound Cake.”
After posting the song’s video, it went viral on his Instagram page, showing the deputies breaking down his door and entering with their rifles drawn.
However, he faults the officers for raiding his home in error, stating they wouldn’t have been there if they hadn’t made that mistake.
“All of this is their fault,” Foreman said during the court hearing. “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 … my money would still be intact.”
“They’re suing me for their mistake,” he said.
Several officers have given testimony, including Deputy Lisa Phillips, who broke down on the stand. Prosecutors played the video during the second day of trial, and she claims she has been harassed by people who question her gender and sexuality.
As the video plays, she is seen crying on the stand.
Foreman feels that he has the right to make videos and posts using the footage that shows the deputies breaking down his door, causing damage, and allegedly stealing money during the raid.
He stressed the song and music video was a matter of his free speech. “Fact, they never should have came to my house in the first place. Fact, if they hadn’t came to my house, they wouldn’t have put themselves on the video camera and in my music career. All of this is their fact. All of this is their fault. And they have the audacity to sue me,” he testified.
He added, “Under the circumstance that I got freedom of speech 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. Yes, I do.”
The police raid failed to turn up any drugs or illegal paraphernalia, and the artist stated that they stole $400 in cash. Still, a police investigation found the claims unfounded and cleared the deputies.
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