*Joe Budden’s lawyer released a statement after the podcast host was hit with a lewdness charge on December 4 in Edgewater, New Jersey, after a neighbor reported witnessing him completely naked outside their apartment complex, an event documented by their Ring Camera.
As we reported earlier, the security camera footage allegedly shows Budden standing outside their apartment, attempting to enter a code into the resident’s door keypad several times before returning to his own apartment. The incident was reportedly visible to the resident and their two juvenile daughters through the live feed on their phones.
Budden’s attorney, Nima Ameri, voiced dissatisfaction with how the Edgewater Police Department handled the situation, calling their press release “inflammatory and slanderous,” The Blast reports. Budden was simply “sleepwalking” when he was spotted naked outside his residence, according to Ameri.
“It is important to clarify that Mr. Budden was never arrested, and the incident referenced was a result of a well-documented medical condition known as sleepwalking — a condition that Mr. Budden has a long and public history of,” Ameri said.
The attorney also suggested that Chief Donald Martin’s decision to issue a public press release about the incident may have been influenced by racial bias.
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“Had Mr. Budden not been a prominent Black voice for his community, we do not believe such a press release would have been issued over these mediocre allegations,” Ameri said. “We are confident that a review of Edgewater Police records will show no precedent for issuing a press release about a white individual charged with a disorderly person’s offense before their court date.”
In a statement to TMZ, the attorney said: “Mr. Budden is saddened by Police Chief Martin’s press release. Mr. Budden has been waiting weeks for his cross complaints to be processed which include substantially more serious charges including possible felony charges against the persons behind these charges against him,” she explained.
“The Chief has in our opinion sat on those but instead used his time to gain some free publicity for himself. Chief Martin should seek publicity by doing notable policing not inflaming disorderly person allegations,” Ameri added.
“The allegations against Mr. Budden are a minor charge, not even resulting in an arrest. A charge Mr. Budden is looking forward to beating in court on the merits, not in the press. The Chief’s comments are reckless,” Ameri continued. “Our research has not shown a single press release on a disorderly person charge on the police website this year.”
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Joe Budden Charged with Lewdness After Naked Encounter Outside Apartment | VIDEO
