The cameraman for the underground Stop Snitching DVD that cast a national eye on witness intimidation in Baltimore was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on drug and gun charges.
Shortly before receiving his sentence, Akiba Matthews-Bey, 35, of West Baltimore, told a federal judge that he was being singled out by authorities because of his involvement with the DVD.
Matthews-Bey said that the creators of Stop Snitching never thought it would become as significant as it did when it hit the streets four years ago and that because of its popularity, he became a target of law enforcement.
During an impassioned five-minute address to the court, Matthews-Bey denied owning the gun authorities say they found in his vehicle in November along with 58 gel caps of heroin. In May, a federal jury convicted Matthews-Bey of possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
With his parents, fiancee and 4-month-old daughter in the courtroom, Matthews-Bey said prosecutors have painted him as being violent even though he has never committed a brutal act.
"It's not like I killed somebody; I never did anything like that," he said. "Why attack me? That got news media in courtroom. That paints a picture like I'm a monster."
U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake dismissed Matthews-Bey's argument during her ruling, saying that she found no evidence that the defendant was singled out because of the DVD. But Blake did say that the movie played a role in her decision not to go below federal sentencing guidelines and that the DVD perpetuates the worst aspects of Baltimore's criminal element.
"That video is contrary to any notion as to how people should approach [dealing with]- law enforcement," Blake said.
Matthews-Bey's lawyer said his client was expressing his artistry when he held the camera for the two-hour ode to Baltimore's criminal culture.
Creators of the DVD have said that it is for the "urban hip-hop" set familiar with the true definition of a "snitch." But the word's meaning was lost in translation as the original DVD - fueled by the appearance of NBA star Carmelo Anthony - gained mainstream attention, they have said.
Snitches are not "the little old lady on the block" who calls police about a drug deal, the video's stars have said. Instead, a snitch is someone who profits from illegal activities but, after getting arrested, gives information on everyone else to save himself.
