PITTSBURGH, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Members of the rap group Three 6 Mafia have asked for the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a Pennsylvania teen, citing their First Amendment rights.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Ricky "Scarecrow" Dunigan of the Oscar-winning group and rappers Robert "Koopsta Knicca" Cooper and Darnell "Crunchy Black" Carlton, both occasional group members, have claimed their constitutional rights protect them from the suit.
The suit alleges that one of the group's songs led to the 2003 beating of Ramone Williams at an area night club.
In July 2005, Williams filed suit against the Memphis rappers for injuries he suffered from incited crowd members when the group played their song, "Let's Start a Riot," at the now-closed Rock Jungle night club in Pittsburgh.
Williams originally sued the entire rap group, but released regular members Paul "M.O.B." Beauregard and Jordan "Juicy J" Houston after learning they were not in attendance at the event.
The newspaper said the rappers, who won an Oscar last year for their soundtrack offering "It's Hard Out There For a Pimp," have denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
