Tekashi 69 will reportedly be granted early release from prison as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, according to freelance reporter Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press. Lee reports that Judge Paul Engelmayer granted Tekashi’s previously-filed relief request after denying that request last week.
Looks like 69 will get out: "The Court directs that the Government respond by 5 pm. The parties are advised that, provided the Court has authority to grant the relief requested by defense counsel, the Court intends to do so (Signed by Judge Engelmayer on 4/1/2020) https://t.co/w6H2iih69r
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) April 1, 2020
According to Lee, the release request was denied because Tekashi hadn’t appealed to the Bureau Of Prisons yet. Once the appeal was properly filed and turned down, Tekashi was allowed to request release from the court directly. Lee tweeted “Judge Engelmayer says 69 has ‘exhausted his administrative remedies with BOP,'” allowing Engelmayer to take action. “Because Mr. Hernandez is not in BOP custody, BOP cannot evaluate him for compassionate release,” the judge’s order reads.
On #6ix9ine, here was today's DOJ Bureau of Prisons final turn-down; Judge Engelmayer says 69 has "exhausted his administrative remedies with BOP" – "Because Mr. Hernandez is not in BOP custody, BOP cannot evaluate him for compassionate release." #countdown pic.twitter.com/qzvCskYfI7
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) April 1, 2020
Lee also fielded questions from followers concerned that, due to the date of the announcement, news of Tekashi’s release might be an April Fool’s joke. Lee emphatically denied those claims, providing some context in a later series of tweets explaining that “It’s definitely complicated. It’s that Judge Engelmayer first turned 69 down because his lawyer hadn’t asked BOP to be released & been rejected. Now that has happened and Judge says he is inclined to release 69, pending the US Attorney’s 5 pm filing opposing it.”
It's definitely complicated. It's that Judge Engelmayer first turned 69 down because his lawyer hadn't asked BOP to be released & been rejected. Now that has happened and Judge says he is inclined to release 69, pending the US Attorney's 5 pm filing opposing it https://t.co/6wwzx4cYZZ
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) April 1, 2020
Tekashi’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, requested the release two weeks ago, saying that a case of COVID-19 could be serious to the rapper due to his asthma. The letter also notes that Tekashi was diagnosed with bronchitis and sinusitis late last year and was hospitalized for treatment, which would make him more vulnerable to a potential outbreak in prison.
Follow more of Uproxx’s coronavirus coverage here.
