Afroman Defends Use of Police Footage in Court: "It Was Their Fault"

Rapper Afroman, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, took the stand this week in an Ohio courtroom to defend himself against a civil lawsuit brought by seven Adams County Sheriff's deputies. The legal battle centers on Foreman’s use of security camera footage from an August 2022 raid on his Winchester home. The deputies, including Bobby Cooley and Shawn Cooley, allege Foreman used their likenesses for profit in music videos and merchandise without consent.

During his testimony, Foreman maintained that the unflattering portrayals were "their fault" because of the raid, according to reports from the People’s Defender. The rapper famously used the raid footage in music videos for songs like "Will You Help Me Repair My Door" and "Lemon Pound Cake." Foreman told the court that the content was a form of political protest and protected by the First Amendment after the search for drugs and kidnapping evidence yielded no charges.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for emotional distress and the unauthorized commercial use of their images. Foreman’s defense team argues that as public officials, the deputies’ actions during the execution of a search warrant are a matter of public concern. On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the jury began deliberations to decide if the "Because I Got High" artist crossed a legal line between free speech and commercial exploitation.