Meek Mill’s lawyers have been trying to have Judge Genece Brinkley removed from his case since the Philadelphia rapper was first arrested for probation violation last year. They’ve had little luck so far, despite securing his release from incarceration and a new hearing with the judge to lobby for his original conviction to be overturned.
Meek’s legal team presented new evidence to the court in a renewed attempt to get a new, unbiased judge placed on the case, according to XXL, who obtained a copy of a 2016 civil suit the judge brought against drivers involved in a collision Brinkley suffered while on vacation in St. Maarten.
The documents claim that the crash took place on April 26, 2016 while the judge was driving on a two-lane bridge. According to the suit, a car crossed over into her lane, coming towards her vehicle head-on. She claims to have slowed down her car and come to a stop to avoid a collision, but was then “violently” struck from behind by another vehicle.
In the suit, Judge Brinkley claims that she suffered “severe injuries in and about the head, body” which may be “serious, severe and permanent.”
“In particular, plaintiff sustained severe head trauma, concussion, dizziness, headaches, holes and tears in retina of both eyes, trauma to both hands, neck pain, lumbar spine strain and sprain, knee sprain and pain, and other orthopedic and neurological injuries,” the suit states. “The full extent of which has not yet been fully determined; she suffered severe injuries to her nerves and nervous system with resulting emotional distress.” The suit added that she may continue to be rendered disabled in the future and incapable of performing her job from these injuries and be “deprived of life’s pleasures.”
76ers owner Michael Rubin seemed to be ecstatic at the report’s prospects for Meek Mill’s case. Rubin was instrumental in spearheading the #FreeMeek campaign that ultimately saw the rapper’s release and was the person to pick him up from the prison, as well as arranging an appearance at that night’s 76ers game. Posting an excerpt of the XXL report to his Instagram, he wrote, “michaelgrubinBreaking news!! Judge Genece Brinkley and I finally agree on something!! Above is an excerpt from @xxl article yesterday. I have been saying for months that she is not fit to be a judge – and finally, she admits it!!! As one of Philadelphia’s most litigious judges in recent Common Pleas Court history (meaning she sues a lot of people), in her latest of 20 plus lawsuits she says it all!! Do you think she’s fit to be a judge??”
While it’s not clear what effect, if any, Judge Brinkley’s admission could have on her capability to continue as Meek Mill’s judge, it does seem that her previous suit may have come back to bite her at an inopportune time.
