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Profanity-Laced Video Gets Local Rappers Arrested

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Nov 23, 2009 6:30 pm US/Eastern

Profanity-Laced Video Gets Local Rappers Arrested

Reporting
Peg Rusconi
NEW BEDFORD (WBZ) ― State Police arrested two men on Saturday for allegedly making violent threats in a profanity-laced rap video posted on YouTube.

Their video "Watch 4 Me" is a profanity packed, anti-law enforcement rap with violent images and firearm sound effects.

Police arrested Matthew Rufino, 24, of New Bedford and Jason Foley, 28, of Fairhaven and charged them both with two counts of making threats to commit a crime, threats to use a firearm and intimidation of a witness.

What landed the men in court is the fact that they named names.

Prosecutor Steven Gagne said, "They're perfectly entitled to express all the discontent they have with law enforcement in general. But when you specify particular people by name, where they work, and combine that with graphic images of a gun to someone's head and the gun going off, that's where it crosses the line."

In the video, Rufino names an New Bedford Officer Gifford, who police say is State Trooper Paul Gifford, who once pulled Rufino over. "(Expletive) the sirens, all this hiding, come out with bullets. All you people got (expletive) on holsters. I'll kill you mother (expletive)."

He also names his former probation officer Judy Young, whose name is followed by the images of a gun to someone's head and gun sounds, and an expletive.

According to court papers, probation officer Young told police this, "caused her significant emotional distress and fear for her life and physical safety so much so that it has interfered with her ability to continue with daily responsibilities at the probation office."

Family members of the pair said "First Amendment" as they rushed past reporters.

And in court, Rufino's defense attorney Erin Steadman argued there was no real threat.

Steadman said, "Basically what you have here is two young, misguided and not very intelligent men making a rap video."

Foley and Rufino are being held pending a dangerousness hearing in New Bedford Court on Monday.

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