Rapper Afroman, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, won a civil lawsuit brought by seven Adams County, Ohio, sheriff's deputies who accused him of invasion of privacy and defamation for incorporating surveillance footage of a 2022 raid on his home into mocking music videos, including 'Lemon Pound Cake.' The officers sought $3.9 million in damages, but a jury rejected all claims after a three-day trial.
In summer 2022, Adams County Sheriff's Department deputies raided Afroman's Ohio home on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping, smashing down the door with guns drawn, seizing $5,031 in cash, but finding no drugs, evidence of kidnapping, or other wrongdoing. No charges were filed, and the cash was returned. Afroman then used his home surveillance footage in music videos and social media posts that went viral, such as 'Lemon Pound Cake,' which ridiculed a deputy for eyeing a cake in his kitchen. The videos led to merchandise sales.
In 2023, seven deputies—Shawn D. Cooley, Justin Cooley, Lisa Phillips, Michael D. Estep, Shawn S. Grooms, Brian Newland, and Randolph L. Walters, Jr.—sued Afroman, alleging invasion of privacy (a misdemeanor in Ohio), defamation, emotional distress, ridicule, loss of reputation, and threats, including death threats. One officer, nicknamed 'Police Officer Poundcake,' received multiple pound cakes at work; another cried during a court playback of a mocking video.
The three-day trial in Adams County concluded on Wednesday, March 19, 2026. Afroman testified in a flamboyant American flag suit, stating, 'The whole raid was a mistake' and 'All of this is their fault. If they hadn’t wrongly raided my house, there would be no lawsuit... no songs.' His attorney, David Osborne, defended the videos as free speech and artistic expression. Officers' attorney Robert Klingler argued Afroman 'perpetuated lies intentionally.' The ACLU of Ohio filed a 2023 amicus brief, calling the suit a SLAPP effort to silence criticism of a baseless search.
After brief deliberation, the jury ruled entirely in Afroman's favor on all counts. Judge Jonathan Hein announced: 'In all circumstances, the jury finds in favor of the defendant.' Afroman shared video of the verdict reading on social media and celebrated the next morning on CBS Mornings: 'It’s not only for artists, it’s for Americans. We have freedom of speech. They did me wrong and sued me because I was talking about it.' The case underscored First Amendment protections against law enforcement suits over artistic criticism of police actions.
