The deputies requested $3.9m (£2.9m) damages for “humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment and loss of reputation”.
Afroman launched songs together with one which featured graphic and unfounded strategies about Deputy Lisa Phillips’ sexuality.
Sgt Randy Walters mentioned his little one had been humiliated at college over Afroman’s posts, and had come dwelling afterwards in tears.
The deputies’ lawyer Robert Klingler informed the court docket the rapper had “perpetuated lies intentionally” about his shoppers.
“Even if somebody does something to you that hurts you, that you think is wrong – like a search warrant execution that you think is unfair – that doesn’t justify telling intentional lies designed to hurt people,” he mentioned.
Afroman launched a whole album in 2023 concerning the incident, calling it Lemon Pound Cake, whereas its title music additionally took goal on the officer who, the lyrics mentioned, “got the munchies because he got high”.
That music has had 3.6 million views on YouTube, whereas one other parody monitor titled Will You Help Me Repair My Door has had greater than 9 million.
The rapper informed jurors he had a constitutional proper to make inventive and important content material about authorities officers.
His lawyer David Osborne argued that public officers couldn’t use the courts to “silence” criticism just because it damage their emotions.
“I’m sorry they feel the way they do, but there’s a certain amount that you have to take as a public official, it’s part of the duties of the job,” Osborne mentioned.
“What chilling effect does that have on the world we live in? You don’t like what a public official does and you make a joke, and you’re dragged into court?”
