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Pa. Supreme Court Rules Rapper Meek Mill To Be Released

CHESTER, Pa. (CBS/AP) — Meek Mill will soon be a free man.

The Pennsylvania State Supreme Court has ruled that the rapper will be freed on bail from the State Correctional Institute in Chester on Tuesday afternoon.

Philadelphia-born Mill was sentenced in November to two to four years in prison for violating probation on a roughly decade-old gun and drug case.

On Monday, Spokesman Ben Waxman said the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office agreed to the granting of a new trial "due to questions of credibility of the arresting officer." The officer is among the police officers the prosecutor's office has sought to keep off the stand in cases across the city because of credibility questions.

Judge Genece Brinkley has been the subject of harsh criticism from Mill's attorneys. They have unsuccessfully appealed the sentence multiple times and have called for Brinkley to recuse herself.

The judge defended herself earlier this month, saying the court has "has impartially and without prejudice presided over numerous proceedings in this matter since 2008."

She added that "none of the allegations by (the) defendant constitute evidence that this court is unable to act impartially and without personal bias or prejudice with respect to this matter."

She said Mill has raised "unmeritorious claims of impropriety in an attempt to unfairly judge shop."

Since the sentencing, the rapper has received support from fans and high-profile figures, including Kevin Hart, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, Mayor Jim Kenney and Rick Ross.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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