DETROIT (Reuters) -
Dr. Dre has come out on top of a $25 million First Amendment violation lawsuit he filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan last year against the cities of
Detroit and Auburn Hills, Mich.
The suits, filed in July, were over the cities' attempted banning of two videos from he and rapper Snoop Dogg's Up in Smoke Tour performance. One of the videos showed the rappers pretending to shoot a man during a liquor store holdup.
While officials in Detroit successfully banned the videos at Joe Louis Arena on July 6, 2000, Dr. Dre - real name Andre Young - obtained a court order prohibiting Auburn Hills police to do the same at the Palace of Auburn Hills on July 7.
Instead, the city of Auburn Hills pursued criminal charges against the rapper for showing the videos. His arrest on those charges, which have been dropped, sparked the second lawsuit launched by Dr. Dre for wrongful arrest.
As part of the settlement, Dr. Dre has received formal apologizes from both the City of Detroit and Auburn Hills, Mich., over the incident as well as a refund of all legal fees incurred by the rapper.
"The city [of Auburn Hills] wishes, as part of a resolution in this matter and the dismissal by Mr. Young of the lawsuit, to express its regret to Mr. Young that these events took place," read a formal resolution of regret issued by the city of Auburn Hills. "To the extent that any threats were made by police to censor the performance, such threats should never have been made, as they would violate the performers' First Amendment rights of free expression."
Officials in Detroit and Auburn Hills have also received additional First Amendment sensitivity training as a result of the settlement. For his part, Dr. Dre has dropped the $25 million lawsuit. The rapper was refunded $28,346 from Auburn Hills and $25,000 from Detroit in legal fee reimbursement.
"Free speech is alive in America," commented Dr. Dre in a statement released Wednesday (Oct. 24). "I look forward to returning to Detroit, so my fans can hear and see the show I originally put together for them." A documentary of the tour, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Cube, Warren G, Xzibit, Kurupt, and Nate Dogg, is currently available in stores and features behind - the - scenes footage of the events in Detroit and Auburn Hills.
