Rapper Brandon “Tiny Doo” Duncan and Aaron Harvey made headlines for all the wrong reasons, after being swarmed by police and thrown into jail for a crime they didn’t commit. Now, they’re back in the spotlight with some very good news.
The pair was put into jail thanks to a conspiracy law. The Los Angeles Times reports, “the law says gang members with general knowledge of a gang’s criminal activities can be prosecuted for crimes others commit.” Sounds broad and unconstitutional, right?
Authorities used social media and their song lyrics to prosecute them - as if that merits life imprisonment!
Although authorities knew Duncan and Harvey had nothing to do with any murders, they still tried to connect these men to the crime. They were taken from their families and locked away in a cell, seemingly powerless … until they decided to fight.
From inside, they sued the city of San Diego, refusing to fall victim to this injustice.
Now, Duncan and Harvey have won a $1.5 million dollar settlement for the months they spent behind bars unable to post bail in the millions. They’re using their freedom to shed light on their experience and why they chose to take a stand.
The civil rights lawsuit route they chose worked, but not everyone gets paid after a wrongful arrest. These two men were fortunate enough to have the violation of their rights recognized. Hopefully, they can move on with their lives despite this unjustified setback.