Shaggy defense
ConceptLegal Concepts and Doctrines
An informal term for categorically denying accusations despite contrary evidence.
1.25Uncommon
Uncommon
Shaggy defense
- Legal Concepts and Doctrines
A Shaggy defense is an informal phrase for a legal defense strategy in which a defendant categorically denies accusations by saying, in effect, “it wasn't me,” despite overwhelming contrary evidence. The term derives from reggae musician Shaggy's 2000 single “It Wasn't Me.” Slate writer Josh Levin coined it in 2008 while describing defense tactics used by singer R. Kelly during a trial on child pornography charges.
- Type
- Informal legal terminology
- Origin of phrase
- Shaggy's 2000 single “It Wasn't Me”
- Coined by
- Slate writer Josh Levin in 2008
Sources and credits
Sources and credits
- Article
- Shaggy defense (English Wikipedia)
- Wikidata
- Q28401176
- Text
- Card text is adapted from the English Wikipedia article by an automated summary. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for its contributors. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Article history and contributors
- Illustration
- By https://www.flickr.com/people/adamj4282/. CC BY 2.0 · File page on Wikimedia Commonshttps://www.flickr.com/people/adamj4282/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamj4282/166195826/Modifications: Resized and converted to WebP
- Popularity
- 74 median daily views (Wikimedia Pageviews API (all-access, user agent))
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