Meek Mill can finally put his 12-year-long criminal case behind him.
Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gun charges Tuesday in a retrial from his 2007 case that left him battling the parole system for over a decade. The case has finally ended and all other charges were dropped. Meek will not spend any more time in prison on those charges, according to 6ABC Philadelphia.
Testimony from the Dreams and Nightmares rapper’s 2008 trial shows he admitted to having a gun, but denied ever pointing it at police like he was accused of. In July a Pennsylvania appeals court threw out his original conviction and granted a retrial after removing the original judge off the case. Meek, born Robert Williams, and his legal team has over the years accused the black female judge of having a personal vendetta against the rapper.
#Breaking: "Meek freed, I'm not on probation" @MeekMill thanks supporters after final court hearing where he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without a license from his initial arrest in 2007. Tuesday's plea ends the rapper's 12 year legal battle. https://t.co/CMUG5zZ3nJ pic.twitter.com/YCyexQkUrV
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) August 27, 2019
That same court also overturned his alleged parole violations, one of which sent him back to prison for five months back in 2017. Since his release, Meek has become the face of criminal justice reform and worked to help parolees that find themselves unfairly trapped in the legal system.
Meek Mill teamed up with Roc Nation earlier this year to create the REFORM alliance and also recently dropped the #FreeMeek docuseries on Amazon which gave a behind the scenes look into details of the case.
On Tuesday Meek was greeted by a crowd of supporters outside the courtroom where he took the stage to thank them for holding him down through this lengthy process.
“I’m extremely grateful that my long legal battle is finally behind me and I appreciate that it has sparked a much-needed discussion about probation reform and the inequalities that exist within our two Americas,” Meek tweeted out after the hearing. “I have always told the truth — that as a teenager, who saw many around me die from senseless gun violence, I carried a gun for protection. I take responsibility for that and – in conjunction with my work on the @REFORM Alliance – I’ll continue to use my platform to make communities safer and reform our criminal justice system.”
I’m extremely grateful that my long legal battle is finally behind me and I appreciate that it has sparked a much-needed discussion about probation reform and the inequalities that exist within our two Americas. pic.twitter.com/noDEA1HaRd
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) August 27, 2019
I have always told the truth — that as a teenager, who saw many around me die from senseless gun violence, I carried a gun for protection. I take responsibility for that and – in conjunction with my work on the @REFORM Alliance –
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) August 27, 2019
I’ll continue to use my platform to make communities safer and reform our criminal justice system. I want to express my gratitude to all of my supporters, especially JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, Michael Rubin, my legal team and everyone else who stood by me throughout the years.
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) August 27, 2019
It’s important that we now channel our energy into helping the millions that are unjustly trapped in our criminal justice system. #Justice4Millions #Reform
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) August 27, 2019
Meek Mill takes stage outside criminal court. Thanking supporters after judge. “Meek free. I’m not on probation.” pic.twitter.com/hQlStEyPIv
— Katherine Scott (@KScott6abc) August 27, 2019
“You know right from wrong, up from down. You know what you should do”-Judge Leon Tucker to Meek Mill. Meek walked out of court with misdemeanor firearms possession on his record, but no further punishment. pic.twitter.com/2nxirOHGMy
— Katherine Scott (@KScott6abc) August 27, 2019
