*Wednesday night in an “NBC Nightly News” exclusive, Lester Holt speaks with rapper Meek Mill, who was released from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered him out on bail while he appeals a controversial conviction that put him behind bars for the last five months.
Mill stated: “Being in this position. I gotta lot of responsibility I got a lot of important people depending on me and not talking about them people (public officials). I’m talking about the men that’s depending on me going through the same thing that I’m going through. This is an important moment. This is a very important moment.”
Asked if he now feels free: “No I don’t feel free, I ain’t feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I’m 30 now, and uh, me I just I pray, and I believe God is my first lawyer, I always believed that, and you know I got a strong team behind me, I got a lot of support, it’s a lot light shedded on my situation.”
Regarding whether he’s slept since being released: “No I haven’t slept one minute since I’ve been out of prison. Uh it’s actually like a culture shock coming from a small cell back into the real world so I think my body has to adjust at this point.”
Holt also spoke with Michael Rubin, owner of the 76ers, who shared his thoughts on why Mill’s case has resonated: “Because his story’s so much bigger than his life this is about this about how can he be the symbolic change agent that was needed for major criminal justice reform that’s why you should care.”
More airs on an upcoming Dateline NBC Special.
LESTER HOLT: IT WAS A SUDDEN AND CELEBRATED RELEASE FROM A PENNSYLVANIA PRISON.
Holt: have you slept since you got out of prison?
Meek Mill: No I haven’t slept one minute since I’ve been out of prison. Uh it’s actually like a culture shock coming from a small cell back into the real world so I think my body has to adjust at this point.
LESTER HOLT: MEEK MILL, WHO WE JOINED AS HE LITERALLY SOARED TO FREEDOM ABOARD A HELICOPTER WITH 76ER’S OWNERAND FRIEND MICHAEL RUBIN, ON HIS WAY TO LAST NIGHT’S PLAYOFF GAME WHERE HE RANG THE PRE-GAME BELL. THIS AFTERNOON MILL SITTING DOWN WITH ME EXCLUSIVELY FOR AN UPCOMING DATELINE HOUR.
Holt: So you’re out of prison, you’re still on bail, so do you feel free, truly free?
Mill: No I don’t feel free, I ain’t feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I’m 30 now, and uh, me I just I pray, and I believe God is my first lawyer, I always believed that, and you know I got a strong team behind me, I got a lot of support, it’s a lot light shedded on my situation.
LESTER HOLT: DESPITE BEING FREE, MILL IS STILL ON PROBATION. TWELVE YEARS AFTER HIS CONVICTIONS AT AGE NINETEEN ON WEAPONS AND DRUG CHARGES. HE SERVED JUST SEVEN MONTHS FOR THE CRIMES. BUT HAS REMAINED TETHERED TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM EVER SINCE. LAST YEAR HE WAS CAUGHT POPPING A WHEELIE ON A MOTORCYCLE, AND WAS ALSO INVOVLED IN A SEPARATE ALTERCATION. BOTH CHARGES WERE DIMISSED, EVEN SO, JUDGE GENECE BRINKLY SENTENCED HIM TO TWO TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR VIOLATING HIS PROBATION.
LESTER HOLT: THE SENTENCE SPARKED A MOVEMENT AND SUPPORT FROM HIP HOP SUPERSTAR JAY Z AND COMEDIAN KEVIN HART TO BILLIONAIRES LIKE THE OWNER OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND RUBIN, WHO SAYS HE LEARNED THROUGH MILL’S CASE HOW HE BELIEVES THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ENTRAPS YOUNG BLACK MEN.
Holt: If you’re just now hearing Meek mill why should you care about his story?
Michael Rubin: Because his story’s so much bigger than his life this is about this about how can he be the symbolic change agent that was needed for major criminal justice reform that’s why you should care.
Mill: Being in this position. I gotta lot of responsibility I got a lot of important people depending on me and not talking about them people (public officials). I’m talking about the men that’s depending on me going through the same thing that I’m going through. This is an important moment. This is a very important moment.”
LESTER HOLT: MILL’S RELEASE FROM PRISON WAS UNOPPOSED BY THE D.A. WHO NOW AGREES HIS ORIGINAL CONVICTION SHOULD BE OVERTURNED.
D.A. Larry Krasner: There are questions about the single important witness who testified in that case.
LESTER HOLT: MEEK MILL MAY BE BACK ON THE STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA BUT HE’S STILL FIGHTING FOR HIMSELF AND SAYS HE WILL BE FOR OTHERS TOO..
source: NBC Nightly News
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