The rapper Robert Rihmeek Williams, better known as Meek Mill, has been denied bail multiple times in the past week.
Meek, a Philadelphia native and platinum-selling rapper who performed at Penn’s Spring Fling in 2011, was sentenced to two to four years in state prison in early November for violating probation on a case from 2007.
The rapper’s violations included a failed drug test, unauthorized travel for concert appearances, and two unrelated arrests in St. Louis and New York for misdemeanor assault and reckless driving, respectively. These incidents were the latest in a string of arrests and probations violations involving Mill dating back to 2007, when Mill was only 18 years old.
Meek is currently serving his sentence at Camp Hill State Correctional Institution. His sentence was delivered by Judge Genece Brinkley, who has been the presiding judge in his case since 2009.
Meek applied for bail reconsideration on Nov. 16, but was denied on Dec. 1. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Brinkley called Mill “a danger to the community” in her statement regarding the bail request.
Mill’s case has quickly become a symbol for criminal justice activists in Philadelphia to rally behind, many of whom believe the rapper’s sentencing was too harsh. “Stand With Meek Mill” billboards and signage can be seen across Philadelphia, directing viewers to a Change.org petition that currently has more than 390,000 signatures.
Last month, hundreds gathered to protest the rapper’s arrest with notable attendees including Philadelphia Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins and Vinny Curry and rapper Rick Ross. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has also come forward in support of Mill, creating a petition for his release.
On Nov. 17, Grammy-Award-winning artist Jay-Z, who performed alongside Mill at this year’s Made in America festival, also penned an op-ed in The New York Times asserting that, "What’s happening to Meek Mill is just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day."
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