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Ohio Jury Rules Afroman's Art Defends Free Speech Rights

3/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

An Ohio jury on March 19, 2026 ruled that rapper Afroman was not liable for defaming sheriff's deputies who raided his home in 2022.
The deputies obtained a search warrant on unsubstantiated claims and later sued Afroman for using footage of the raid in music videos.
Afroman argued that his artistic expression was a response to the deputies' actions.
The jury found Afroman's comments protected under free speech.

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Story summary

An Ohio jury on March 19, 2026 ruled that rapper Afroman was not liable for defaming sheriff's deputies who raided his home in 2022.
The deputies obtained a search warrant on unsubstantiated claims and later sued Afroman for using footage of the raid in music videos.
Afroman argued that his artistic expression was a response to the deputies' actions.
The jury found Afroman's comments protected under free speech.