Teen charged in rap case settles suit

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A teenage rapper who successfully sued his school district after he was expelled for writing amateur rap songs with violent imagery has settled with two townships over charges police filed against him.
Anthony Latour, of Ellwood City, and his parents reached a 60,000 settlement against North Sewickley and Franklin townships on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
Police had charged Latour, who was 14 at the time, with terroristic threats and other counts based on his rap lyrics. The charges were later dismissed.
A federal judge overturned the expulsion in August 2005, finding that the songs contained images of violence, but did not amount to true threats against the school.
Latour reached a 90,000 settlement against Riverside Beaver County School District last November.
Out of the latest settlement, Latour will get 25,000, which will be put into a bank account until he turns 18 in 2009. His parents will get 15,000 to recover legal fees they spent for a criminal defense lawyer and 20,000 will pay attorney fees in the civil case.
His attorney, Francis Moore, said he hopes Latour uses the money for college.
Latour was led out of his school in handcuffs in April 2005 and spent time in a juvenile facility when he was first arrested on the matter, Moore said.
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