The judge who jailed Meek Mill has her own legal battle | Morning Newsletter

It’ll be mostly sunny with a high of 41.

In 2017, Philly judge Genece Brinkley sentenced Meek Mill to two to four years in prison for violating his probation in a nine-year-old drug and gun case. The event led to public outcry from both celebrities and elected officials calling for reform. He was ultimately freed over questions about the validity of his initial arrest.

Although it was her most notable case, it wasn’t her last controversy.

Our lead story follows her latest legal battle.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinkley, known for jailing Meek Mill, has been transferred to civil court and had all of her pending criminal cases reassigned.

Brinkley calls the move “unlawful” and is seeking to have it reversed.

Necessary context: This is the latest chapter in a months-long feud between Brinkley and judicial leadership that began in part over concerns about Brinkley showing up to the courthouse on time or managing her caseload effectively.

Since the reassignment, lawyers and judges who reviewed dozens of Brinkley’s cases discovered a history of her appearing to impose illegal sentences, allowing sentences to run past their maximum date, or failing to quickly address cases remanded to her by higher courts.

Keisha Hudson, the chief of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, said her office and prosecutors began reviewing about 120 sentences that Brinkley imposed over the last 20 years that they believe should be reconsidered “because they are grossly excessive.”

Continue reading to learn about Brinkley’s past controversies and why one lawyer called the situation a “mess.”

When basketball star Brittney Griner returned to the U.S through a prisoner exchange with Russia, Lisa Hyland was relieved.

But she was also yearning for her brother, who has been trapped in Russia since last August.

Marc Fogel, an international teacher from Oakmont, Pa., is serving 14 years in a Russian penal colony for carrying roughly half an ounce of medical marijuana for his chronic back pain.

In her own words:

“In the year and a half since Marc has been trapped in Russia, my family has received dozens of letters from his former students and colleagues. They described him as charismatic, caring, enthusiastic, energetic, and boisterous. Many spoke about how Marc went out of his way to make them feel included and engaged in the classroom. This outpouring of letters, phone calls, emails, and grassroots assistance told the story of a man dedicated not only to his craft, but also to the health and well-being of the young men and women he taught.

But none of these letters have brought him home.”

Continue reading a sister’s plea for the Biden administration to bring him home.

How much has the Eagles’ A Philly Special Christmas album raised for the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center?

A) $150,000

B) $250,000

C) $500,000

D)$1,000,000

Find out if you know the answer.

👀 Watching: The House and Senate are set to pass an overhaul of the Electoral Count Act, the most significant policy response to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

🏠 Viewing: A 1890s Victorian stone mansion in Ambler is decked out for the holidays with the help of Norristown Garden Club members.

🎁 Sharing: How to protect your holiday gifts arriving this week as package thefts increase by 16%.

Hint: the former mascot of the Sixers

HPO HPI

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Takia McClendon, who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Jill Scott.

And that’s it from me. I’m starting my day with a glass of orange juice🍊. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.