Meek Mill’s 2008 Conviction Thrown Out, Granted New Trial
A Pennsylvania appeals court has thrown out rapper Meek Mill’s decade-old conviction in a drug and gun case.
The unanimous three-judge opinion Wednesday grants the rapper born Robert Williams a new trial because of new evidence of alleged police corruption.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court also overturned the trial judge’s parole violation findings that sent the entertainer back to prison in 2017 for five months.
Prosecutors could choose to drop the case.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office has said it will not call the police officer who was the sole prosecution witness because of new doubts about his credibility.
In a statement shared to Billboard, Meek celebrated his momentous win: “I’d like to thank the Pennsylvania Superior Court judges for their wisdom and transparency in reviewing my case, unanimously overturning my conviction and granting me a new trial. The past 11 years have been mentally and emotionally challenging, but I’m ecstatic that justice prevailed.
This positive outcome wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my family, my attorneys, JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, Michael Rubin, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office and my supporters who have stood with me through the ups and downs. Unfortunately, millions of people are dealing with similar issues in our country and don’t have the resources to fight back like I did. We need to continue supporting them. I’m committed to working with my team at the REFORM Alliance to change these outdated laws and fix our broken criminal justice system.”
REFORM Alliance’s co-chair and Philadelphia 76ers co-owner, Michael Rubin, echoed Meek’s sentiments.
“I’m thrilled for Meek that the Superior Court granted him a new trial and, for the first time in his adult life, he’s no longer on probation and has no criminal record. Time after time, I’ve watched the criminal justice system railroad Meek, but through it all, he’s handled this adversity with extraordinary strength and poise. But the fight isn’t over – there are still millions of people unfairly trapped in the legal system. Meek, myself and our team at the REFORM Alliance are working feverishly to address these issues in a meaningful way and with transformative legislation.”
This article originally appeared on Billboard.