Rapper #MeekMill has become one of many symbols of the faults of the criminal justice system after being imprisoned for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Last night, the #Philly native called into @CNNTonight with @DonLemonCNN and discussed his current prison sentence and how he believes that prejudice is definitely playing a hand in keeping him locked up.
“I try not to do too much negative thinking on her because my life is in her hands,” Meek said speaking of Judge Genece Brinkley. “If the DA is offering that I get bail, that I get a new trial, 60 days is a little outrageous. Eighty cases go in front of a judge on Friday and mine will be the only one that’s heard in June.“
Meek maintained that he did not commit the crime of pointing a gun at two officers. We all have become somewhat desensitized by unjustified police killings, Meek says he would have definitely been shot.
“I’m not perfect. I didn’t commit the crime. I didn’t point a gun at two officers… With all these young men getting shot for reaching for a cell phone, I happened to make it from the ghetto to be on the road to success. That was lucky enough. You think I’m lucky enough to point a gun at two or three officers at one time without a shot being fired at me? That’s like, almost impossible,” Meek tells Don.
He had a powerful message for Black people in America and especially Black men to be “careful” and to be mindful of how you’re conducting yourself in these streets. Meek also stressed the importance of voting!
“I want people to be careful. I want people to be careful, especially young minorities. I call it target practice,” Meek said. “When you’re already a target and you’re in high risk neighborhoods where people go to jail a lot, be careful [and] watch the way you move because you could get caught up in a situation like this where you could be 18 years old and suffer from it when you’re 30 years old.”
He continued, “The most important thing I want to say is vote. When its time to vote for governors, time to vote for judges, DAs… Vote. Let’s vote for people that’s into justice reform and helping the urban community because we’re being affected by it but we’re not holding any political presence.”
Check out the full interview below:
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