Update 8/28/19: Meek Mill has pled guilty to misdemeanor gun charges, officially ending his 12-year criminal case.
“Meek free! I’m not on probation no more,” Meek said outside of the courthouse in Philadelphia’s Center City. “I just wanted to come up here and thank all the supporters, because I know y’all probably have family members in jail or people going through the same thing as me. I will continue to do what I do with the reform movement and help the people that help me.”
Original Story 7/24/19:
Meek Mill’s 2008 drug and gun case conviction has been overturned in a Pennsylvania appeals court.
What We Know:
- Robert Rihmeek “Meek Mill” Williams was convicted at age 19 when former officer Reginald Graham testified stating Meek pointed a gun at him during his 2007 arrest, a detail Meek has always denied.
- Graham was later terminated and placed on an internal “do not call list” for officers accused of misconduct, after evidence came to light regarding stolen funds and lies regarding it. He was also investigated as part of a FBI probe on corruption but was not charged. His colleague later admitted Graham previously lied regarding the testimony he had provided at Meek’s trial.
- A panel of three judges concluded that the new evidence presented contradicts the credibility given to Graham’s testimony, making an acquittal likely if a new trial were to occur.
- One of the judges, President Judge Jack A. Panella, wrote regarding the actual actions Graham may have witnessed “Rather, (he) observed Williams attempt to discard his weapon.” The decision also stated “We conclude the after-discovered evidence is of such a strong nature and character that a different verdict will likely result at a retrial.””
- The unanimous panel decision also overturned Meek’s probation violation issues stemming from his 10 year probation status. Common Please Judge Genese Brinkley was removed from the case by the panel after several unsuccessful attempts by Meek’s legal team to have her removed.
- Brinkley had been sentencing Meek to short prison sentences for various (and seemingly small) parole violations regarding travel and pain pills. The last stint being his five month sentence in 2017 that sparked outrage and protests.
- This is another bit of great news for the 32-year-old rapper who has become a voice in criminal justice reform, just announced a joint venture with Roc Nation for his new Dream Chasers label, announced co-ownership of lids, and if you missed his NYT op-ed then you missed good material. Let’s not forget his Netflix five part docuseries “Free Meek” due out next month.
Hopefully there will be no retrial and Meek will finally be completely free of this. Reading his statement below he has suffered long enough. Congratulations Meek!
#FreeMeek #FightDifferent #REFORM @MeekMill pic.twitter.com/c98rbT4zxo
— REFORM ALLIANCE (@REFORM) July 24, 2019
