UPDATED 07/17/18 5:28 p.m. ET: Audio of Judge Genece Brinkley's lawyer, A. Charles Peruto Jr., allegedly saying that Meek Mill deserves a new trial has surfaced. TMZpublished the clip, which was reportedly recorded back in May.
See original story below.
Another wrinkle has been added to Meek Mill’s legal battle.
On Tuesday, Philly.com published a report about off-the-record comments made by the lawyer representing Genece Brinkley, the controversial judge presiding over Meek’s case. Attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr. allegedly criticized Brinkley for refusing to grant the rapper a new trial, and said the judge’s rigid stance made her look “fucking awful.”
According to the report, Peruto made the statements following an on-camera interview for an upcoming documentary about Philadelphia’s judicial system. The attorney was apparently unaware that the mic was still on. He later defended himself by claiming to have made no derogatory comments about Brinkley—at least none that were “on the record.”
“I have been consistent with my defense of this judge,” Peruto said “Tape or no tape, I don’t believe I said it. [...] If I said something off the record, it should not be on the transcript.”
The publication obtained the audio recording from a Meek “supporter.” It’s also important to note that the aforementioned documentary is a collaborative project between Amazon and Meek’s record label Roc Nation.
Meek responded to Peruto’s alleged off-the-record comments in an Instagram post. The Dreamchasers artist also claimed Peruto had visited him during his recent incarceration.
Peruto’s interview reportedly took place right before the supervising Common Pleas Judge Leon Tucker denied Meek’s request to have Brinkley removed from his case. The rapper encountered another setback last week when Brinkley denied him a new trial.
Meek’s legal team petitioned for a new trial earlier this year due to credibility issues with the rapper’s arresting officer Reginald Graham, who was also the sole witness in Meek’s 2008 trial. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office placed Graham on a “Do Not Testify” list because of a history of dishonest behavior and corruption. Brinkley insisted Graham’s past did not impact her decision.
“Ultimately, the allegations of misconduct related to Officer Graham do not relate to the facts of [Mill’s] case,” she wrote in a 47-page opinion, “and do not create a question of credibility for [Mill’s] underlying trial and arrest.”
