Meek Mill seeks to overturn 2008 drug and gun conviction that has kept him on probation for 11 years

Lawyers for Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill will ask an appeals court on Tuesday to overturn a 2008 drug and gun conviction that's kept the Philadelphia rapper on probation for a decade, in a case that criminal justice reform advocates say illustrates racial bias in the system.

Judge Genece Brinkley, the city judge who oversees the case and sent him to prison in 2017 on a parole violation, has a grudge against the performer, the lawyers said, and city prosecutors agree.

Prosecutors under District Attorney Larry Krasner have filed a motion supporting his bid to toss the conviction and be retried under a new judge.

The terms of probation for Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, have prevented him from even being able to pick up his son from school in New Jersey without gaining prior permission, even though it's just a 15-minute drive across a bridge.

Mill, age 32, has become a symbol for criminal justice reform after Brinkley, who is also black, sentenced him in 2017 to two to four years in prison for minor probation violations. 

Lawyers for Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill, 32, will ask an appeals court on Tuesday to overturn a 2008 drug and gun conviction that's kept the Philadelphia rapper on probation for a decade, in a case that criminal justice reform advocates say illustrates racial bias in the system. Attorneys for Mill, whose legal name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, argue City Judge Genece Brinkley (right) who oversaw the 2008 case and sentenced Mill to 2-4 years behind bars for probation violations related to the case, holds a grudge against Mill. Mill is pictured at left on July 10 in the TriBeCa neighborhood of New York City

The violations stemmed for two arrests, for popping a wheelie while shooting a New York City music video and an altercation in St. Louis, which did not result in convictions.

Mill spent nearly five months in prison before a court ordered him released last year.

The hefty sentence became a cause celebre for musicians, celebrities and criminal justice reform campaigners who said it was typical of a US legal system that treats minorities unjustly. 

Mills' defense lawyers now hope to persuade the state Superior Court that Mill's 2008 conviction, which was the basis for punishing him for the subsequent arrests, be thrown out based on alleged credibility issues with the now-retired police officer who was the key witness against him at the nonjury trial. 

The officer said the then-19-year-old Mill pointed a gun at him during the arrest outside his southwest Philadelphia home. Mill has denied pointing a gun at police.

Mill has frequently tangled with the judge over terms of his parole, especially over reporting requirements and travel rules that he says conflicts with his music career.

Brinkley, after a 2015 hearing that included testimony from Mill's then-girlfriend, Nicki Minaj, said she 'has done nothing but try to help the defendant.' 

The recording artist has become one of the most visible and active proponents for criminal justice reform in the music industry, teaming up with artists such as Jay-Z to form the REFORM Alliance in January.  

Mill is a fixture at NBA games in Philadelphia and has the support of many high-profile celebrities and athletes. 

He appeared in last month's season finale of Saturday Night Live, performing beside DJ Khaled, John Legend, SZA and other artists in a tribute to slain rapper Nipsey Hussle.

Source: Daily Mail

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