'This Is The End Of It': Meek Mill's Long Legal Battle Over After Reaching Plea Agreement With Prosecutors
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Meek Mill's case is finally closed. After more than a 10-year fight, the rapper's legal battle has come to an end.
Mill, whose real name is Robert Williams, struck a deal with prosecutors on Tuesday morning and, as a result, will not serve any more time in prison. Mill entered a guilty plea to a single count of the possession of a firearm, which is a misdemeanor.
The judge announced, among other things, that there would be no further punishment.
"I know this has been a long road for you and hopefully this will be the end of it," Judge Leon Tucker told the rapper.
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"I will continue to do what I do with the reform movement and help the people that help me," Mill said.
Following the plea agreement, Mill spoke to a large group of supporters outside the Criminal Justice Center. Free and clear of the criminal justice system, Mill says he'll focus on reform.
"I will continue to do what I do with the reform movement and help the people that help me," Mill said.
Since the day in Nov. 2017 when Judge Genece Brinkley ordered the entertainer to a state lockup for two to four years, Mill has become a symbol of what his lawyers call a broken system.
"The beautiful thing about this is because of this case, we're gonna look at things like we've never looked at them before and that's the message and we'll rethink everything we've thought before," Brian McMonagle said.
Five months into his prison stint, Mill was ordered to be released on bail. He was picked up by helicopter and flown to a Sixers' game, all while pledging to advocate for reform.
Jessica Jackson is with the Mill-inspired nonprofit Reform Alliance.
"He came out, went to his best friends and raised $50 million to form the Reform Alliance and really tackle this issue across the country," Jackson said.
Prosecutors reached a deal to end the Mill criminal matter -- a plea to a gun possession charge. While District Attorney Larry Krasner says no meetings are set, he believes he'll cross paths with the entertainer.
"It is a case where someone isn't completely innocent. It is about someone who was punished excessively and processes that lacked integrity and in my opinion, were unfair," Krasner said.
The rapper also took to Twitter following his court appearance.
"I'm extremely grateful that my long legal battle is finally behind me and I appreciate that it has sparked a much-needed discussion about probation reform and the inequalities that exist within our two Americas," Mill tweeted.
He continued, "I'll continue to use my platform to make communities safer and reform our criminal justice system. I want to express my gratitude to all of my supporters, especially JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, Michael Rubin, my legal team and everyone else who stood by me throughout the years. It's important that we now channel our energy into helping the millions that are unjustly trapped in our criminal justice system. #Justice4Millions #Reform."
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Mill will launch his Legendary Nights tour in Chicago later this week.
