WHAT EVIDENCE IS ALLOWED IN COURT. THE DECRIMINALIZING ARTISTIC EXPRESSION ACT WAS PASSED INTO LAW IN 2022. IT LIMITS THE USE OF RAP LYRICS IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND GIVES ARTISTS NEW TOOLS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. DETECTIVE HERNANDEZ, WITH THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, SAYS PROMOTING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WITH MUSIC IS NOT UNCOMMON. THEY GET THE CLOUT AND THEY GET THE INTIMIDATION THROUGH THIS MUSIC. THAT’S THE PRIMARY SOURCE. THROUGH OUR REPORTING, WE’VE LEARNED AT LEAST TWO MEN WHO WERE AT THE DEADLY NOVEMBER 29TH BIRTHDAY PARTY ARE CONNECTED TO THE STOCKTON RAP SCENE. BOTH MEN WERE ARRESTED FOR PAROLE VIOLATIONS, BUT ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE SUSPECTS IN THE SHOOTING ITSELF. THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MOTIVE IS ONGOING, AND NO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN NAMED. BUT BECAUSE OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF LOCAL RAPPERS, MANY PEOPLE HEAD TO LYRICS TRYING TO CONNECT THE DOTS. THE MUSIC IS WHERE. THE MULTIPLIES, GETS A LOT OF VIEWS, A LOT OF TRACTION, AND THEN IT IT JUST ELICITS A RESPONSE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT THEY’RE SPEAKING ABOUT WHERE THIS KIND OF THING, UNFORTUNATELY, IS KIND OF INEVITABLE. A LEGAL EXPERT WITH MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW TELLS US HOW THE LAW SPECIFIES WHAT KIND OF LYRICS COULD BE USED AS EVIDENCE CAN BE USED, BUT FOR VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES. AGAIN, TO DEMONSTRATE INTENT. IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT REALLY THE LYRICS SHOULD SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THAT CRIME AS OPPOSED TO CRIME GENERICALLY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE ASKED THE PROFESSOR IN HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IF THIS LAW HELPS PROTECT FREE SPEECH OR IF IT GETS IN THE WAY OF PROSECUTION. HE RESPONDED THAT THE LAW BY THE LEGISLATURE ATTEMPTED TO STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO COMPETING INTERESTS. IT CERTAINLY ISN’T INTENDED TO BLOCK ALL PROSECUTIONS, BUT IT ALSO INHERENTLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE POTENTIAL UNDUE BIAS CREATED BY THAT. IN SACRAMENTO, I’M ANAHITA JAFARY KCRA THREE NEWS. NOW, ONE OF THE MEN ARRESTED AT THAT BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR PAROLE VIOLATIONS WAS IN COURT TODAY. AUTHORITIES SAY THAT BILLY WILLIAMS IS NOT A SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING. HE DOES HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY. AND HE DID VIOLATE HIS PAROLE CONDITIONS THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING. WILLIAMS WAS APPOINTED A NEW ATTORNEY. TODAY. A PRE-CONFERENCE HEARING HAS BEEN SET FOR WEDNESDAY,
California law limits use of rap lyrics in criminal cases
The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, passed in 2022, restricts the use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions, aiming to balance free speech and legal proceedings.
Updated: 6:28 PM PST Dec 8, 2025
A California law relating to rap lyrics could come into play in the investigation into a deadly mass shooting in Stockton. The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, passed in 2022, limits the use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions and provides artists with new tools to defend themselves. Detective Steve Hernandez from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said promoting criminal activity within music is not uncommon.”They get the clout, and they get the intimidation through this music. That’s the primary source,” Hernandez said.KCRA 3 learned that at least two men who were at the Nov. 29 birthday party that ended in a deadly mass shooting are connected to the Stockton rap scene. Both men were arrested for parole violations, but are not considered suspects in the shooting itself. The investigation into a motive is ongoing, and no suspects have been named. Due to the involvement of local rappers, many people are examining lyrics to try to connect the dots.”The music is where it multiplies, gets a lot of views, a lot of traction and then it just elicits a response from the people that they’re speaking about, where this kind of thing, unfortunately, is kind of inevitable,” Hernandez said.Chris Micheli, an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law, explained how the law specifies what kind of lyrics could be used as evidence.”It can be used, but for very specific purposes. Again, to demonstrate intent in particular, but also, in other words, that really the lyric should speak directly to that crime as opposed to crime generically, for example,” Micheli said.When asked if the law helps protect free speech or if it gets in the way of prosecution, Micheli responded that the law, by the legislature, attempted to strike a balance between those two competing interests.”It certainly isn’t intended to block all prosecutions, but it also inherently acknowledges the potential undue bias created by that,” Micheli said.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A California law relating to rap lyrics could come into play in the investigation into a deadly mass shooting in Stockton.
The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, passed in 2022, limits the use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions and provides artists with new tools to defend themselves.
Detective Steve Hernandez from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said promoting criminal activity within music is not uncommon.
“They get the clout, and they get the intimidation through this music. That’s the primary source,” Hernandez said.
KCRA 3 learned that at least two men who were at the Nov. 29 birthday party that ended in a deadly mass shooting are connected to the Stockton rap scene. Both men were arrested for parole violations, but are not considered suspects in the shooting itself.
The investigation into a motive is ongoing, and no suspects have been named. Due to the involvement of local rappers, many people are examining lyrics to try to connect the dots.
“The music is where it multiplies, gets a lot of views, a lot of traction and then it just elicits a response from the people that they’re speaking about, where this kind of thing, unfortunately, is kind of inevitable,” Hernandez said.
Chris Micheli, an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law, explained how the law specifies what kind of lyrics could be used as evidence.
“It can be used, but for very specific purposes. Again, to demonstrate intent in particular, but also, in other words, that really the lyric should speak directly to that crime as opposed to crime generically, for example,” Micheli said.
When asked if the law helps protect free speech or if it gets in the way of prosecution, Micheli responded that the law, by the legislature, attempted to strike a balance between those two competing interests.
“It certainly isn’t intended to block all prosecutions, but it also inherently acknowledges the potential undue bias created by that,” Micheli said.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel