It took jurors all of one hour to find Lil Boosie not guilty of first degree murder–in a unanimous decision. He still has to finish his 8-year sentence on drug charges, but that sentence must seem fairly insignificant compared to life in prison.
Given the lack of evidence, it’s surprising that the prosecution would bring the case at all. And although the outcome appears to be a just one, it’s worth noting that the practice of using rappers’ lyrics against them continues with approval from the court system. It might not have proved successful here, but it has in the past, and no doubt it will again in the future. That’s an ongoing miscarriage of justice that might not affect Boosie, but who knows which rapper is next. So a big win for Boosie, but another loss for the First Amendment…
I have no vested interest in Boosie’s personal affairs, but I am interested in seeing that the court system does not continue to be an increasingly lopsided institution. My biggest concern with the trend of using lyrics as evidence is that prosecutors will study unsuccessful cases like this and step their game up. If this practice isn’t curbed we could one day see non-rappers being tried by lyrics, just like the Heavy-metal/Rock lyric prosecution attempts of the 80’s. Downloads and playlists leave a pretty clear record of your deviant listening habits. Erosion of rights and erosion of common sense are gaining momentum.
Industry rule no. 5080: Prosecution lawyers are shady.
I agree, though it’s important to note that heavy metal cases were very different–they were attempts to hold rock musicians liable for the actions of their listeners. An equally bad practice, yes, but not as potentially devastating to the artists as these rap prosecutions, which attempt to tie the author to a crime. Given the kinds of crimes rappers brag about (and often exaggerate), the potential jail terms are staggering.
Nice Tribe reference–in fairness, I will say that some prosecutors are shady. The lopsided criminal justice system runs deeper than just these folks. And it’s the judges that let the lyrics in…
I did characterize prosecutors a bit unfairly. Could these types of legal shenanigans have the potential to stifle artists’ ability to “teach the truth to the young Black youth?” The ramifications of rappers running afoul of the law are already substantial, but constriction of creative license only leaves room for more Iggy Azalea’s(why on earth is that little boy in the “Pu$$y” video). That’s kinda scary too…