While awaiting trial, E-C Records continued to sell the album; and would ultimately sell a reported 1000 copies; the profit would not be enough. beset with legal fees galore, Charles Freeman would be forced to close down the very store he sought to protect. The stress of the ordeal took its toll on the married father of four children. It was reported, at that time, that he was suffering from ulcers & a lack of sleep. Within a year, Freeman had turned to selling drugs to off-set the income lost from his legally run business enterprise. Ironically, it was a life of crime that Charles Freeman sought to escape when he moved to Florida-from Brooklyn, New York a few years earlier. In July 1991 Freeman would be indicted, under Federal Law, of Conspiracy To Distribute Crack Cocaine. In 1992, he was convicted & sentenced to 18 years in Federal Prison. No information has been found, as to his current living conditions.
As much as today's "Mainstream" "Rap" Music is filled with Raunchy & Misogynistic lyrics, and sadly now accepted as the norm, it's hard to imagine that many of the originators of that style faced all forms of legal harassment just 20 years ago. While most faced efforts to have their product kept off of record shelves & T.V. (Ice-T, NWA, Too Short, etc), others like Miami's 2 Live Crew faced the threat of arrest-simply for performing their songs. In retrospect, the ordeal that Luther Campbell & his group mates had to go through only made them more famous. Unfortunately though, there was at least one casualty in the so-called conservative war for decency in american music. His name was Charles Freeman. Charles Freeman was the owner of the E-C Records in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and he dared to defy Florida Laws against selling "Obscene Music." Just two days after U.S. District Judge Jose Gonzalez ruled that 2 Live Crew's Album was consider to be legally obscene, Freeman was arrested by undercover police officers executing a sting operation. Having sold almost 25 copies of the album, faced one year in jail & heavy fines. A few months later, a judge would refuse would deny attempts by Freeman's attorneys to present evidence proving that the album content did not defy obscenity laws. Charles Freeman would in turn be convicted & fined $1,000 (one must note that Luther Campbell & his group would be acquitted of similar charges that same year).
While awaiting trial, E-C Records continued to sell the album; and would ultimately sell a reported 1000 copies; the profit would not be enough. beset with legal fees galore, Charles Freeman would be forced to close down the very store he sought to protect. The stress of the ordeal took its toll on the married father of four children. It was reported, at that time, that he was suffering from ulcers & a lack of sleep. Within a year, Freeman had turned to selling drugs to off-set the income lost from his legally run business enterprise. Ironically, it was a life of crime that Charles Freeman sought to escape when he moved to Florida-from Brooklyn, New York a few years earlier. In July 1991 Freeman would be indicted, under Federal Law, of Conspiracy To Distribute Crack Cocaine. In 1992, he was convicted & sentenced to 18 years in Federal Prison. No information has been found, as to his current living conditions.
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