Hip Hop

Tekashi 6ix9ine Asks Judge For Early Release After Fears Of Coronavirus Death

Tekashi 6ix9ine has his prison release date in his sights, but he wants out sooner because of the coronavirus.

No place has been immune to the coronavirus pandemic that has rocked the world over the last three months — the number of those infected grows exponentially by the day, with over 353,000 cases worldwide. Even correctional facilities have been affected, with several prisons on lockdown, not allowing visitors in in a bid to ensure inmates’ safety, and some jails granting early release to non-violent offenders.

Tekashi 6ix9ine was sentenced to two years behind bars in December due to his involvement in the East Coast’s Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. The nine charges which he faced held a possible sentence of 47 years, but Tekashi agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors which saw him testify against his fellow gang members. The judge’s decision to acknowledge the time he had already served meant that the “Stoopid” rapper is scheduled for release on August 2. But according to TMZ, he has told lawyers that he fears for his health amidst the coronavirus crisis and wants out ASAP.

There has been a confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, at Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn and 6ix9ine is worried that the rapidly spreading outbreak will reach Queens Detention Centre where he resides. The rapper’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, has written to the judge, citing 6ix9ine’s asthma which has previously caused him to be hospitalized, and the bout of bronchitis that he had in October. “Mr. [Daniel] Hernandez has been complaining to prison officials this week about shortness of breath, but apparently the warden of his facility will not allow Mr. Hernandez to go to the hospital despite the recommendation of the facility’s medial doctor that Mr. Hernandez be treated by a doctor at a hospital,” wrote Lazzaro in his letter.

Tekashi is hoping that he will be able to serve out the rest of his sentence at home, which, in this period of self-isolation, doesn’t sound like the most unheard of idea.