An appeal motion filed by rapper Meek Mill‘s attorneys in Pennsylvania’s Superior Court was sent back to the lower court judge who sentenced the troubled rap star to prison for violating his probation.
Judge Genece Brinkley came under fire from Meek’s celebrity friends and his lawyers after she defied prosecutors’ recommendation for no prison time and sentenced the “Ima Boss” hitmaker to 2-4 years in prison earlier this month.
Defense attorneys filed multiple motions in the case ever since, including documents seeking the removal of Brinkley from the case, but Brinkley ignored the multiple motions.
Meek is claiming the harsh sentence was the result of a personal vendetta against him. Meek’s lawyers allege Judge Brinkley punished the rapper after he laughed off her request for a shout out in a song, and snubbed her suggestion to dump his management team at JAY-Z‘s Roc Nation firm and sign with rival Philadelphia music exec Charlie Mack.
The FBI has launched an investigation into the relationship between Mack and Brinkley. But Mack denies having any relationship with the judge.
On Monday, Nov. 27, Meek’s lawyers appealed to officials at Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, accusing Brinkley of holding up their appeal proceedings by failing to respond to any of their recent motions, while they also lodged an emergency order seeking bail for their famous client.
But the Superior Court judges declined to grant Meek’s bail request, explaining the matter should “first be presented to the lower court”, while ordering Judge Brinkley to rule on the outstanding issues immediately.
“We’re pleased that the Superior Court took immediate action to direct the Court of Common Pleas to decide on the application for bail without further delay,” Meek’s representative, Jordan Siev, tells TMZ.com. “We remain hopeful that Mr. Williams will be promptly released on bail.”
It’s not yet known when Judge Brinkley will schedule the bail hearing.
