Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Meek Mill’s legal troubles continue as the year comes to a close.
Born Robert Rihmeek Williams, Meek was sentenced on November 6 to two-to-four years in state prison following a ruling that he had violated his probation. The sentencing shocked many, as the violations were for non-violent offenses and the judge assigned to his case had her own history with the Philly rapper. On November 15, his lawyers put a motion in formally appealing the sentencing, and later in the month, filed an accompanying motion for the modification of his bail. The Pennsylvania Superior Court denied the motion but did order Judge Genece Brinkley to rule out Meek’s bail petition, with the latest news being that Judge Brinkley has officially denied his bail hearing, further keeping him in jail.
The judge made a statement obtained by Pitchfork claiming that Meek “is and continues to be a danger to the community in Philadelphia, New York, Missouri, and other locations throughout the United States…” She contined that, “he continues to be a danger to himself based upon a history of continuous use of illegal drugs, and is an increased and greater flight risk because he already has been sentenced to a term in state prison and gave false information to authorities when he was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri.”
The labels of being “a danger to the community” are rather harsh to put on an artist who has made legitimate strides to serve his community with his outreach to children and initiatives to help the less fortunate. Meek’s legal representation, led by his lawyer Joe Tacopina, made an official statement saying, “We are very disappointed with Judge Brinkley’s decision to deny Mr. Williams bail, which continues her long pattern of unfair treatment of him. As stated on multiple occasions, he has never missed a previous court date in this case and poses absolutely no threat to the community, which makes him an ideal candidate for bail—a conclusion the Commonwealth did not oppose. We intend to immediately appeal this decision, so Mr. Williams can be released from prison on bail while we continue to work to overturn this wrongful and unjust sentence.”
Judge Brinkley has come under fire for what many deem as her unfair treatment of Meek in the eye of the law, with claims that she has made inappropriate comments surrounding his celebrity and even suggesting that he change management to an acquaintance of hers. It was stated that the FBI is in the process of conducting a probe on Brinkley for her professional integrity and personal relationships.
Many artists such as JAY-Z and Drake have been very outspoken in support of Meek and the right of a fair legal trial, but as of now, it seems as if the rapper will be staying in prison for the very near future.
