Earlier this week, we learned that Genece Brinkley—the Philadelphia judge who sentenced Meek Mill to a widely protested prison stint last month—had been accused of "inappropriate and unethical conduct" by multiple organizations. "Transparency is the cornerstone of any good government," Jessica Jackson, Mill Valley, California mayor and #cut50's national director, told Vibe. "If an official or a judge cannot be trusted to be transparent and ethical, how can we possibly trust them with power over people's lives?"
Thursday, the Philadelphia Inquirer provided some new details on a previously reported FBI probe into the judge. Citing "three sources familiar with federal authorities' involvement" in the case, the paper reported that the FBI investigation was actually called for by Mill himself in 2016. Sources claimed Mill was asked to get Brinkley on tape, but Mill declined. Brinkley, as written last month, has been accused by Mill's legal team of being "enamored with him." She even allegedly offered unsolicited career advice.
In a court filing Monday, Mill's team said that knowledge of the FBI probe should result in recusal, regardless of who called for the probe in the first place. The probe "raises further doubt" regarding Brinkley's impartiality, lawyers argued. There is reportedly no longer any active FBI investigation into Brinkley.
Mill was denied bail this week and labeled both a "flight risk" and a "danger to the community." His sentence has been widely criticized by fellow artists, including Jay Z, who has made multiple condemnations of Mill's situation in print and onstage.
