A Pittsburgh supreme court ruled a 2012 rap song, which depicts violent acts against officers mentioned by name posed a credible threat and does not fall under freedom of speech for the First Amendment.
According to The Washington Post, officers Daniel Zeltner and Michael Kosko arrested Jamal Knox and Rashee Beasley on various drugs and weapons charges and were reportedly scheduled to testify against the duo.
Prior to the trial, Knox who goes by the stage name Mayhem Mal and Beasley wrote and recorded “F**k The Police.” It was then uploaded to YouTube by a third party and shared on a public Facebook page connected to Beasley.
A video for the song featured pictures of both officers and offered grave details involving bodily harm. “I’ma jam this rusty knife all in his guts and chop his feet.” Another line makes reference to Richard Poplawski, who’s on death row for murdering three officers. “Like Poplawski, I’m strapped nasty.”
Another line from a verse indicates they knew intimate details about the officer’s daily activities. “Well, your shift over at 3.” The last line of the song states “Let’s kill these cops ’cause they don’t do us no good.”
In the ruling, the court found the song to be a “true threat.” Knox, now 24, was found guilty of witness intimidation and making terroristic threats.
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