DMX Arresting Sheriff Accused of Abusing Power

Notorious lawman Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been using his position of power to put DMX behind bars for a variety of reasons over the past few years, but now, the tables have turned. Four judges in Phoenix, Ariz. have filed separate lawsuits against Arpaio last week, accusing Arpaio of abusing his power by unlawfully arresting and abusing the city's residents.

The suits claims that his actions "constitute the rankest misuse of power against those innocent and powerless citizens that our system of government is supposed to protect." Arpaio is accused of sending deputies to the judges' homes to terrorize them by tapping their phones, harassing them, confiscating computers and other illicit actions. The judges are seeking general, punitive and treble damages for causing emotional distress, abusing power, negligence and defamation.

At Arpaio's hand, DMX has been arrested more than six times in Maricopa County since 2007. In 2008, the sheriff questioned the local government's lax treatment towards X after he was arrested at a Phoenix mall. 'I don't know why judges keep letting this guy out. Every time he goes in there, he gets out on bond,' he stated, later calling him an "annoyance to the criminal justice system."

X, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was most recently arrested a few weeks ago for violating the terms of his probation. In an interview following his incarceration, he claimed that he would never return to Arizona once his latest legal snafu was cleared up. "I'm not looking back," he said. "I'm not coming back. I'm not coming back for a show. I'm not coming back for a visit. I'm not even driving through the state. If I'm on a plane and they're flying over it, I'm gonna go around."