In a moment of tremendous victory for Meek Mill, the Philadelphia-bred artist was granted a pardon from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf yesterday (Jan. 12), for the 15-year-old drug and gun charges that have been weighing on him since his youth. Read on to learn more about this significant and much-needed win for Meek Mill, and what it could mean for criminal justice in America.
Since then, Meek Mill has released three more studio albums: Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015), Wins & Losses (2017), and Championships (2018). Throughout his career, he has been plagued by legal troubles and has spent time in jail or prison on several occasions. In November 2017, he was sentenced to two to four years in state prison for violating probation from a previous drug and gun conviction. After spending five months in prison, he was released on bail in April 2018. However, in July 2018 he was sentenced to another two to four years in prison for violating his probation again. He was released on bail once again in September 2018 but was rearrested in December 2018 for failing a drug test and was sent back to prison.
On Thursday, November 7th, 2019, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf pardoned Meek Mill. The decision comes after years of campaigning by Meek Mill and his supporters for criminal justice reform.
The pardon will have a direct impact on Meek Mill’s life and career. He will no longer be on probation, and his criminal record will be expunged. This means that he will no longer be subject to the restrictions that come with being on probation, such as curfews and drug testing. He will also be able to travel freely and pursue new opportunities.
Many people took to social media to express their thoughts on the matter. One Twitter user wrote, “Meek Mill getting pardoned is proof that our justice system is deeply flawed and in need of reform.” Another person tweeted, “I’m so happy Meek Mill is free! This just goes to show that our criminal justice system is broken and needs to be fixed.”
Meek Mill has come a long way in a short amount of time, and there is no doubt that he will continue to achieve great things in the years to come.
The pardon of Meek Mill is a powerful reminder that the criminal justice system can and does at times recognize its errors. We hope this stand taken by Governor Tom Wolf will be seen as an example for other state leaders to follow, so that other individuals who have been wronged may receive similar pardons in the future. Hopefully, this action by Pennsylvania’s governor is just one step on a larger journey towards a more equitable criminal justice system going forward.
