Meek Mill's legal team filed the Post-Conviction Relief Act (PCRA) petition when it was discovered that Officer Reginald Graham, the cop who arrested Meek, was involved in a number of corruption scandals in addition to giving false testimony. Although the Philadelphia rapper remains in jail, the attention surrounding the case led to several other petitions. As a result, three prisoners with cases related to Graham were freed.
Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper reviewed three of the cases and was able to send three people home without a hearing. The Philadelphia D.A. agreed the rapper should be granted a retrial in light of the new information, but he'll have to wait another 60 days for it. His own PCRA hearing is scheduled for June 18.
"Today, I am thankful that 3 people’s cases were dismissed by Judge Woods-Skipper after the DA took the exact position that he took in my case, which is agreed to PCRA-relief," Meek said in a statement. "All these cases involved Reginald Graham and there are another 105 cases that just filed PCRAs with the same corrupt cop. Although my case was the first filed and the DA agreed to my new trial, the Judge in my case decided it should wait for a hearing until June 18 yet the other 3 cases didn’t need a hearing."
His legal team argues that if not for filing Meek's PCRA and exposing the corruption on a national platform, the three people released Friday would not have filed their own. "Today’s quick and decisive action by Judge Woods-Skipper to immediately dismiss three cases upon agreement from the District Attorney’s office without the need for a hearing highlights the injustice and inequitable treatment being visited upon Meek," said lawyer Brian McMonagle. "As was expressed in court on Monday to Judge Brinkley, there is no reason to delay Meek’s case for 60 days or to hold a hearing as the District Attorney agrees that a new trial is warranted."
The legal team is hoping to highlight the problems in the Philadelphia court system and the bias that's been present in Meek's case.
