Here is an article entitled American Studies: We bad: Americans embrace the rough, ready Stagger Lee written by Philip Martin of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. It will only be on line for the rest of the week. It does examine the origins of the song, but it also explores side trips into discussions of Latrell Sprewell and Pete Rose, among others. I guess you could say it is really an essay on the tendency to glorify bad men and make heroes of them.