Posted on 11/21/2014 9:12:34 AM PST by Red in Blue PA
Duncan faces 25-years-to-life on gang conspiracy charges brought against him this week, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prosecutors will reportedly look to prove that the album art "willfully promotes, furthers, or assists in any felonious criminal conduct by members of that gang."
"That gang" refers to the San Diego Lincoln Park gang, of which Duncan is a member, according to San Diego police. According to the Times, at least 15 Lincoln Park gang members have been charged in a recent string of shootings in the city.
Yet Duncan's attorney, Brian Watkins, told the paper that his client is innocent and the evidence against him insufficient.
"It's no different than Snoop Dogg or Tupac," Watkins said. "It's telling the story of street life. If we are trying to criminalize artistic expression, what's next, Brian DePalma and Al Pacino?"
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I hate it too. Thanks, Mrs. D..
It says “No Safety” and a picture of a partly disassembled revolver — is that a threat, or is that a complaint? Conventional 2nd amendment advocacy groups could use similar themes, though they would not touch rap with a ten foot pole. Because it is susceptible of multiple interpretations, as long as he isn’t separately pressing a particular interpretation, then we can’t meet the legal standard of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Because then, it’s ART
I agree. But look at the idiotic suspensions of kids in school for eating out a pastry to the shape of a gun, etc. They have been conditioning people to think it’s OK to punish people for a picture of a gun. A picture of a gun; what’s wrong with people?
Are you likening a picture of a gun to shouting fire?
I would tend to agree about precedent. This is an age where some very absurd lies fall into place very quickly.
Dollars to donuts this DA is using this case for his own political self-promotion. He obviously does not give a rat's butt about freedom of speech. If this little fascist twit was around in Frederic Remington's day, he would have him brought up on charges for depicting guns in his paintings.
If this does go forward, look for amici across the political spectrum in favor of free artistic expression. The 1st Amendment still means too much to too many people to let it go without a fight.
Watch this one closely -
they’re setting a dangerous precedent that could fast become a way of slamming us all into ‘camps’
Any word, any remarks, any photos, any drawings -
Evil is unshackled in the land.
Not anymore.
Eggzactly!
I know. It’s crazy.
I hear you.
How long before a copy of American Rifleman becomes a felony?
This law is pure fascism and an assault on free speech and the First Amendment. Americans need to remember that when evil people create an odious, insidious law they first prosecute people who gather little public sympathy. Once a number of prosecutions have happened and the good sheeple say nothing then it’s open season. Then this evil law will be used against everybody!
First, they’re going to violate the First Amendment rights and civil rights of gangbangers with this stupid, evil law and then they will use it against you and stifle your political free speech and possibly fine and imprison you for wearing a shirt logo that they can link to any group that has been deemed outside the law.
An absurd criminal case.
“Call Rap art maybe taking the legal notion of art as a form of speech protected by the first amendment to an absurd extreme.
Calling Rap art is laughable in its self.”
Free-speech for me but not for thee for I am righteous! /sarc
You are using the same thought processes as liberals when they try to shut us down, just saying.
Well said (post #18).
Absolutely. The prosecutor should be fired and de-pensioned. Any judge involved in allowing it to get this far should be removed from the bench.
This is so beyond the scope of "law and order" that it's not even open for discussion.
The only discussion should be "is there a law the prosecutor can be charged with breaking and if so how many years can he possibly get in prison?"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.