Afroman won a jury verdict Wednesday (March 18) clearing him of wrongdoing in a lawsuit filed by seven Ohio police officers, who claimed the rapper defamed them by releasing music videos that mocked them after a failed raid on his home.

The verdict came in an unusual lawsuit filed by members of an Ohio county sheriff’s department over songs and social media posts by Afroman (Joseph Foreman) that harshly criticized the guns-drawn 2022 raid on his property, which yielded no charges.

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The case claimed the videos were false and caused the officers severe emotional distress. But Afroman, known for his 2000 hit “Because I Got High,” testified at trial that he had a First Amendment right to mock the officers, particularly after they smashed down his door for ultimately no reason: “All of this is their fault, and they have the audacity to sue me.”

After just hours of deliberation on Wednesday, the jury sided entirely with Afroman, clearing him of liability for defamation or invasion of privacy: “In all circumstances, the jury finds in favor of the defendant,” Judge Jonathan Hein said, speaking to the rapper, the accusers, and their lawyers. Afroman briefly bowed his head, but otherwise showed no emotion after the verdict was read.

“We did it, America! Yeah, we did it! Freedom of speech! Right on! Right on!” the rapper shouted outside the courthouse following the verdict in a clip he posted to social media. “God bless America!”

The verdict ended a three-day trial that captivated social media with outlandish moments from the courtroom, including Afroman mounting a colorful defense from the witness stand in a flamboyant American flag suit; one of the deputies crying repeatedly as a video insulting her played for more than 10 minutes; and a testy exchange in which Afroman’s lawyer asked another deputy if his wife was cheating on him.

The outcome is a major win for Afroman, who could have faced a whopping $3.9 million damag