Just 24 hours after being sentenced to serve 2-4 years in prison for parole violation, Meek Mill’s team is speaking out. Joe Tacopina, attorney for the Philadelphia rapper, spent Tuesday (Nov. 7) speaking out in various interviews on the unjust punishment handed down on the Dreamchasers CEO.
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Tacopina, who is planning to appeal yesterday’s ruiling, spoke with Billboard about Common Pleas Judge Genece Brinkley, who has presided over Meek Mill’s since 2008. “She’s enamored with him,” says Tacopina, citing Brinkley has a personal vendetta against the MMG rapper. “She showed up at his community service for the homeless people. She showed up and sat at the table. She’s a judge. You could pull any judge in America and ask them how many times they’ve showed up at a community service for a probation and the answer is zero.”
Joe Tacopina also speaks on inappropriate acts displayed by Judge Genece Brinkley, requesting Meek Mill to re-record Boyz II Men’s “On Bended Knee,” with her name mentioned in the song and for him to leave Roc Nation to sign with a friend of hers.
“But when you look at all the other facts, like a judge crossing the line of professionalism and traditional conduct, [who] will make the request that Meek Mill re-record a famous Philadelphia pop band, Boyz II Men’s song “On Bended Knee,” where he concludes with a tribute to her and mentions her by name in the song. And he, of course, was laughing and thought it was a joke, she said, “I’m serious.” He refused to do that,” says Tacopina.
“So, that, right there, was a totally an inappropriate request. When she requests he leaves his current management Roc Nation — which is one of the most important management companies in the world — and goes back to a local Philadelphia guy who has a spotted past because she had a personal relationship with him as manager, again, she’s doing something that a judge would never be doing, having a personal interest.”
Since the ruling, entertainers like Kevin Hart, T.I., Snoop Dogg and Nipsey Hussle have all expressed support on social media. JAY-Z, whose Roc Nation company manages Meek Mill, took to Facebook to speak out on the excessive verdict. “The sentence handed down by the Judge – against the recommendation of the Assistant District Attorney and Probation Officer – is unjust and heavy handed,” said the mogul/rapper. “We will always stand by and support Meek Mill, both as he attempts to right this wrongful sentence and then in returning to his musical career.”
