NW Missouri men charged with threatening police, judge in rap video

SAVANNAH, Mo. (AP) -- Two northwest Missouri men have been charged with making a rap video that threatens to kill police officers, harm a judge and rape a female police officer.

Police said the profanity-laced video, which has been pulled from the social networking Internet site YouTube, also threatens the destruction of a community.

Kenneth Darrell Black Jr. and Benjamin D. Stevens, both 20, face felony charges of making a terroristic threat, conspiring to commit second-degree assault with a gun against law enforcement officers, conspiracy to commit rape and tampering with a judicial officer.

They also face a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace. Both men were being held in the Andrew County jail Tuesday night on $100,000 bond.

Savannah Police Chief David Vincent, one of the apparent targets of the video, said he didn't know how far along the men were in the alleged plot.

"I'd hate to speculate," Vincent said. "We're still trying to dig into it, talking to witnesses."

According to a probable-cause statement, the men outline plans in the video to kill Vincent, Andrew County Sheriff Gary Howard and several police officers and deputies. In all, at least 22 law enforcement officers were threatened in the video, documents allege.

The statement says the "Kop Killa" video threatens Savannah or Country Club Village "like a ... Godzilla."

In court documents, officer Joshua Smith said he watched the video of the suspects "performing a rap ... that talked about killing Savannah police officers and Country Club (Village) officers," with "Mr. Stevens specifically naming several officers, beginning (with) myself, and stating that it wouldn't be long before he had him in an alley crying before he shot me with an AK(-47)."

Police said that in the video, Black rapped and stated that police follow him everytime he leaves his home.

"Mr. Black then goes on to state that if the police busts his party he will bust their nose," the probable-cause statement says. "Mr. Black then makes mention of the Country Club police and then states that he is heating up the grease as he makes a symbol of a gun with his right hand."

Vincent said the video is an example of why there needs to be increased oversight of things that are put on YouTube.

"There was really no control," he said. "It's really sad."

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Information from: St. Joseph News-Press, http://www.stjoenews-press.com