# Shaggy defense

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A legal defense strategy in which the defendant categorically denies any involvement.

## Etymology
Coined by Slate writer Josh Levin in 2008 to describe the defense tactics used by singer R. Kelly on trial for child pornography charges. The term refers to reggae musician Shaggy's 2000 single "It Wasn't Me", which narrates a story of shamelessly denying one's infidelity.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shaggy-defense