Afroman sues deputy after winning raid video defamation case
Afroman claims ex-Adams County Sgt. Brian Newland had no basis for a prior lawsuit over videos using raid footage from his home.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Afroman sues deputy Brian Newland in a new malicious prosecution case, turning the tables after the former Ohio sheriff’s sergeant and other deputies lost their lawsuit over the rapper’s raid videos, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The rapper filed the lawsuit Monday against former Adams County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Newland, TMZ reported. In the filing, Afroman claims Newland’s earlier defamation case had no proper legal or factual basis, left him with legal bills and caused emotional distress.
Newland was among several deputies who sued Afroman in 2023 over social media posts and music videos that used surveillance footage from a 2022 search of the rapper’s Ohio property. TMZ reported that the search did not result in criminal charges.
Why is Afroman suing deputy Brian Newland?
Afroman’s new case accuses Newland of malicious prosecution. In this filing, that means Afroman is claiming Newland brought the earlier lawsuit without enough support and that Afroman was harmed by having to fight it in court.
The original dispute grew out of footage from the raid that Afroman later put into music videos, including “Lemon Pound Cake” and “Will You Help Me Repair My Door,” according to TMZ. The rapper also continued posting jokes about the officers online.
The deputies claimed the posts and videos damaged their reputations, TMZ reported. They sought a combined $3.9 million in the case.
A jury sided with Afroman earlier this year. TMZ reported that he was found not liable, with jurors deciding he had not defamed the deputies and had not portrayed them in a false light.
Afroman now argues Newland should not have sued him in the first place. The new complaint says the prior case was baseless and forced him to spend money defending himself, according to TMZ’s account of the documents.
What happened in the raid video lawsuit?
The 2023 case centered on Afroman’s use of surveillance footage from the 2022 search of his home. The deputies objected to how they were shown in his online posts and videos, while Afroman fought the claims through trial.
The case ended with a defense win for Afroman earlier this year, according to TMZ. The verdict cleared him of liability on the deputies’ defamation and false-light claims.
Afroman also promoted his new lawsuit on Instagram on Tuesday, TMZ reported. In the post, he alleged Newland took $400 during the raid and later sued him for $1.5 million.
That allegation is Afroman’s claim. TMZ reported it reached out to Newland for comment and had not received a response.
The rapper also released another video aimed at the former deputy, according to TMZ, keeping the long-running fight alive after the jury verdict that ended the deputies’ earlier case.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.