With tears in his eyes, rapper Meek Mill joined Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) as he signed a bill reforming probation into law Friday.
Mill, speaking to reporters, got emotional as he talked about the experiences of felons like himself.
“We try to be better, but they labeled us ‘felons,’ sent us back to jail,” Mill said. “I had to fight against that the whole time to gain my respect and be who I am today.”
The bill reforms qualifications in the state by requiring mandatory probation reviews after two years, or 50 percent of the misdemeanor sentence, whichever is shorter. In addition, it also calls for the same reviews for felony probation after four years or 50 percent of the sentence.
The new law also clarifies to judges that minor technical violations of a parole agreement should not result in the person going back to jail. Minor violations include showing up late to appointments, returning home after curfew or visiting family that lives out of state without permission.
The legislation said returning to confinement should only be used for “serious” violations, such as failing to complete court-mandated treatment or for people considered a threat to the safety of the public.
Shapiro explained that the legislation came about after Meek’s case shined a light on “injustices” in the probation system.
“We all learned from Meek’s case because it shined a light on the injustices in our probation system,” Shapiro said. “How someone could be sentenced to prison for years for not committing a crime, but for just a technical violation of a long probation.”
The governor also signed a bill that will automatically clear the criminal records of those who are pardoned. He signed another bill Wednesday expanding the types of convictions eligible to be sealed from public view, including minor drug felonies, according to local station WHYY-FM.
The 36-year-old American rapper was sentenced for drug and gun-related charges in 2008, but after serving time, he was sent back to prison in 2017 for violating the terms of his parole over a reported failed drug test, ABC 6 News reported.
However, an appeals court would overturn Mills’s conviction after the arresting officer’s credibility was undermined by new evidence. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf pardoned Mill in January.
In August 2019, a documentary series entitled “Free Meek” was released. The series was executive produced by Jay-Z, and that same year, the two rappers co-founded Reform Alliance, a nonprofit focused on national prison reform.