Meek Mill's Lawyer Believes Latest Development Should Result in Freedom

Following reports that Mill's original arresting officer had been named on a "secret list," Mill's team is speaking out.

February 13, 2018

Tuesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a report revealing that the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office put together a "secret list" of suspect cops last year. The list was intended to block officers, reportedly including Reginald V. Graham, who had shown a history of dishonest behavior or racial bias from testifying in court.

In 2007, Graham arrested Meek Mill.

Though the reason for Graham's inclusion on this secret list has not clarified, a sworn deposition from a former partner cited by the Inquirerincluded an ex narcotics officer talking of stealing with him. "I would steal with Reggie Graham," Jeffrey Walker, who went to prison for two years, said. "There was stealing in that whole squad, but these are the people I was basically breaking bread with."

In response, Mill's attorney told Complex Tuesday, all legal remedies will be pursued. "Across the justice system, there are many instances of people that are incarcerated being subsequently let out when police corruption is uncovered," Joe Tacopina said. "This would certainly be one of those instances. I mean, there were 800 cases that were dismissed or overturned upon discovery of this group of officers who had been committing crimes, lying about circumstances of arrests, and falsifying documents. One of the officers is the same one who not only arrested Meek, but made allegations that Meek has always denied. This is the only one that testified against Meek."

Meek Mill is also aware of this latest development, and according to Tacopina, comes as "no surprise" to the rapper. "He's always maintained that he never possessed any drugs and that he never pointed a gun at any police officers," Tacopina told Complex. "He was beaten unconscious, so he knew this was the case, so he isn't surprised by it. Obviously, he's disappointed that the former District Attorney hid that information knowing that the only officer that testified against Meek—and made the allegations that he did against Meek—was someone on their so-called, do-not fly list."

All things considered, Tacopina added, his client is doing well by keeping a positive outlook. "With all those disclaimers, he's doing as well as can be expected," he said. "But he has a positive outlook on life and understands that he has a lot of people who love and support him—not only celebrities and his team, but members of the community that he's never even met who have been impacted by the injustice that Meek and others have suffered."

Mill was sentenced to two to four years in prison for probation violation back in November. The sentence was widely criticized, including during multiple stops on Jay Z's 4:44 Tour. "That man is being stomped by the system," Jay told the crowd during a stop in Philadelphia. "That man is in jail for doing wheelies and breaking up a fight."