Meek Mill was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison earlier this month for violating probation, which dates back to a 2008 conviction for drug dealing and gun possession. Since then, a petition calling for Governor Tom Wolf to look at the recent sentence surfaced all the while celebrities and peers have poured out public support.
Most notably, JAY-Z has spoken out, calling the sentence by Judge Genece E. Brinkley “unjust” and “heavy-handed.” Now, the latest notable supporter is Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin. In a letter, obtained by Sports Illustrated, that was sent to Brinkley just three days prior to Mill’s court hearing, Rubin said he is “personally invested” in helping the rapper. “While he may come from a different world and upbringing than many of us, we all recognize his talent and the impact that he can have in the broader community,” Rubin wrote. “Our world is too often divided. We need people like Meek that can be the bridge-builders and difference makers to pull people of all walks of life together.”
Rubin, who is a Philadelphia native himself and a friend of Meek for years, said the two saw each other in person “most weeks” and spoke “nearly every day” by phone. Although he acknowledged Mill’s mistakes in the letter, Rubin maintained that the rapper has a “bright future” and a “unique opportunity to inspire young men at a time when others are tearing them down.”
“I would hate to see him incarcerated for these violations. I truly believe that such a sentence would destroy his future.”
Read Rubin’s letter in its entirety here.
In related news, Meek’s attorney Joe Tacopina, who has previously claimed that the judge in the case, behaved “unprofessionally” during her interactions with Meek, has revealed plans to remove Brinkley off the case. According to TMZ, Tacopina is reportedly working on filing a motion for the judge to remove herself from his case and filing an official complaint with the judicial conduct board. He also said that Meek could be applying for a pardon from the state of Pennsylvania, however that is typically a years-long process.