Rapper Afroman has turned the tables on a former Adams County sheriff's deputy, filing a malicious prosecution lawsuit against the officer who previously sued him over music videos that mocked a raid on his Ohio home.
The artist filed the lawsuit Monday against former Adams County Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Newland, alleging that Newland's earlier defamation case lacked legal merit, forced him to incur substantial legal expenses, and inflicted emotional distress, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.com.
The legal battle stems from a 2022 search of Afroman's Ohio property that yielded no criminal charges. Newland and several other deputies subsequently sued the rapper in 2023 after he incorporated surveillance footage from the raid into social media posts and music videos.
Afroman used the footage in videos for his songs "Lemon Pound Cake" and "Will You Help Me Repair My Door," while continuing to make jokes about the officers on social media platforms. The deputies collectively sought $3.9 Million in damages, arguing that the posts harmed their professional reputations.
Earlier this year, a jury found in Afroman's favor, determining that he had not defamed the deputies or portrayed them in a false light. The rapper now contends that Newland never possessed adequate legal or factual justification to bring the lawsuit in the first place.
On Tuesday, Afroman promoted his new legal action on Instagram, claiming that Newland took $400 during the raid before suing him for $1.5 Million. The artist also released another video directed at the former deputy.
Newland has not responded to requests for comment regarding the malicious prosecution lawsuit. The case represents the latest chapter in an ongoing dispute between the rapper and law enforcement officials from Adams County that has played out in both courtrooms and on social media.