Rap song by sheriff's son may hurt self-defense claim

The son of Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister finds himself in legal trouble after he's accused of cutting a man in the face during a fight. But George Chronister says it was self-defense and he plans to use Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ defense.

Chronister was arrested last February on aggravated battery charges. Investigators it started after Chronister, who is a local rapper, got into a war of words with another local rapper.  Threats were exchanged and eventually Chronister showed up at Oakley’s Grill.

That’s where a fight broke out.  Chronister, police say, pulled a knife and slashed the victim in the face and back.

Chronister was later arrested and told investigators it was self-defense. But then the 24-year-old wrote a rap song about the incident that prosecutors will probably use against him.

“Generally, it hurts his credibility,” observed attorney Anthony Rickman, who reviewed the case. “It hurts his theory of self-defense, essentially now antagonizing this person via rap, stating that you’re going to cut him or that it was a slashing.  Those can be used to show that he was the aggressor, that it wasn’t self-defense.”

Sheriff Chronister hasn't said too much about this incident but did tell the Tampa Bay Times he was frustrated and hopes his son turns his life around.

Now, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office has opted to pass on this case because of the conflict of interest. The governor assigned it Sarasota State Attorney’s Office to handle.