A federal judge in Manhattan is to release Tekashi 6ix9ine early from prison because of his asthma, which makes the rapper more vulnerable to the novel virus.
What We Know:
- Lance Lazzaro, an attorney for Tekashi, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, confirmed the rapper’s release to Fox News, saying, “We are all very happy that he was released.”
- He told the Los Angeles Times in a phone interview: “The judge granted the motion basically because of the virus that’s ravaging our nation.” Lazzaro also stated, “In prison, you can’t practice isolation or containment; it’s just not feasible”.
Tekashi was sprung from a private prison in Jamaica, Queens, by Judge Paul Engelmeyer after more than a week of failed attemptsfrom Hernandez’s legal defense team to persuade the Bureau of Prisons to release him early from his sentence. Prior to Thursday, his sentence was set to end on Aug. 1. for his conviction on racketeering chargeslast year. - Per the terms of his release, Tekashi will serve the remainder of his 2-year sentence from the confines of his home. The first four months of home incarceration will be subject to GPS monitoring and he may only leave the premises for necessary medical treatment or to visit his legal counsel — which must first be approved by the probation department.
- If the GPS monitoring device goes offline or malfunctions, Tekashi will be required to hop on a daily video call with his probation officer, according to TMZ.
- “The COVID-19 pandemic is extraordinary and unprecedented in modern times in this nation. It presents a clear and present danger to free society for reasons that need no elaboration. COVID-19 presents a heightened risk for incarcerated defendants like Mr. Hernandez with respiratory ailments such as asthma,” Engelmayer wrote.
- He continued: “The Centers for Disease Control warns that persons with asthma are at high risk of serious illness if they contract the disease. Further, the crowded nature of municipal jails such as the facility in which Mr. Hernandez is housed present an outsize risk that the COVID-19 contagion, once it gains entry, will spread. And, realistically, a high-risk inmate who contracts the virus while in prison will face challenges in caring for himself.”
Tekashi 6ix9ine will be living with his mother and other family members.
