Since being discharged from jail in April, Meek Mill has made it his main goal to fight for inmates who don’t have access to the same resources he does. Presently, the Philadelphia rapper is utilizing his voice to advocate for the release of Eric Riddick, a man he met in jail who is serving a life sentence for legal technicalities.
As indicated by a report from ABC News, Riddick has been serving life in jail since 1991 for first-degree murder. Riddick recorded an interest in the wake of discovering that the solitary observer for the situation abjured his declaration, however, the interest was dismissed after a judge said it was past the point of no return.
In a letter that accompanied the most recent appeal denial, a judge wrote that it is “likely that an innocent man sits behind bars for no better reason than a poorly conceived statute.” Meek trusts Riddick’s case is apart of the flaws of the broken system where “judges can actually believe you’re innocent but still keep you in prison.”
The rapper is urging people to go out and vote in the 2018 midterm elections, particularly for local authorities, for example, head prosecutors and judges. “We’re the people who have to be judged by these people,” the MC said. “I think we should all use our power and (vote for) people who are normal people and people who will use power with morals.”
It’s not Meek’s first time advocating for Riddick’s case. In June, amid an appearance on MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari, the Legends of the Summer rapper said he wanted his lawyers to help his friend.
“He has like a messed up case where he basically proved his innocence but due to certain statutory and laws that were created, even if you prove yourself innocent, you can’t get out,” Meek told host Ari Melber.
The “Stay Woke” rapper has likewise posted about Riddick’s circumstance on Instagram, sharing a photograph of the letter from a judge who expressed Riddick is in all likelihood an innocent man.
