Kevin Kennedy, a lawyer from Clarksville, Tennessee, has become something of a folk hero to the young users of TikTok who love his brash, over-the-top persona. Like any good lawyer, he’s even got a catchphrase: “Kev’s got you covered,” which he uses as a sign-off for most of his videos.
Kennedy leans into countless negative stereotypes that exist about defense lawyers — think bad toupees and flashy jewelry — but uses his platform to teach his audience of more than 1.4 million followers about their rights, particularly when dealing with authority figures.
His most popular video has been viewed over 11.7 million times and answers the question of whether or not teachers can make students stay behind after the bell rings. (The answer is that there are no direct laws about this, but students have the right to leave the classroom unless there’s a threat or medical emergency, and schools may have their own punishments for students who leave without permission).
Many of his other videos focus on informing people of what their rights are when dealing with police — e.g., when they’ve been pulled over for speeding, whether or not the police can legally lie to you, which tactics police use during interrogations, and perhaps most importantly, whether or not it’s legal to flip off a cop (Answer: technically yes thanks to the First Amendment, but “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”).
Kennedy’s TikTok presence is elite more generally, too, with him jumping on almost every possible trend, including the “Dumb Ways to Die” trend, the “Cupid” trend, and the “Things I Ate and Survived” trend (featuring an incredibly snazzy coat).
Elite presence or not, though, Kennedy’s videos remain invaluable — by meeting young people where they are and taking advantage of TikTok trends and popular video styles, he’s able to teach a new generation about their rights and the criminal justice system in an accessible, entertaining way.
Given how many kids are taught to never question police or those in positions of authority, Kennedy’s videos serve as a vital antidote to America’s culture of police worship.
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