Jamal Knox, who raps under the name of Mayhem Mel, was turned down on his appeal. His conviction, threatening the lives of two officers. They arrested him and Rashee Beasley.
In return, he calls out the two officers by name who arrested them for having 15 bags of heroin and a loaded stolen gun. The lawyer for Knox argued they’re just song lyrics and are protected by the 1st Amendment. But, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled although rap music is considered an art form, once they mentioned the officers by name (and made specific threats about killing them), they then fall away from the protection of free speech.
Knox and Beasley were awaiting trial on those charges when the rap video was posted on social media, PennLive said. A police officer discovered the video, the AP said.
“The song’s lyrics express hatred toward the Pittsburgh police,” Saylor wrote in his decision, PennLive said. “As well, they contain descriptions of killing police informants and police officers.”
The song includes the lines: “I got my Glock and best believe dog gonna bring the pump out and I’m hittin’ your chest,” as well as, “Let’s kill these cops ‘cause they don’t do us no good,” the AP said.
Saylor called the lyrics “both threatening and highly personalized to the victims,” adding that Knox spoke of when the officers’ shifts ended and his plans to attack them “where you sleep,” the AP noted.
According to the court ruling, it was free speech when they speak of cops generically. But once you target individuals, you have lost your right to free speech. Rap music is for people who can’t sing.
As if law enforcement don’t have enough crap to deal with, now we got youths trying to profit off the alt-left’s anti-police narrative.