Meek Mill Punished After His Twitter Talk Sparks Serious Threats

Maybach Music Group artist Meek Mill appeared in court Friday (June 28) for a probation hearing in Philadelphia which resulted in him being ordered to take etiquette classes and develop a closer relationship with his probation officer.

Details of the rapper’s court appearance bubbled online Friday evening.

In a contentious hearing, a Philadelphia judge on Friday ordered up-and-coming rapper Meek Mill to attend etiquette classes and provide his probation officer with details of all travel plans. Common Pleas Judge Genece E. Brinkley told Meek Mill, also known as Robert Williams, that he must complete the classes before Aug. 4. and notify his probation officer, Treas Underwood, any time he wants to travel outside of Pennsylvania. Those orders came at a probation violation hearing for Williams, who is on probation for a 2008 gun and drug conviction. He was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison. Williams served eight months in jail and began five years’ probation in the fall of 2009. (Philly)

Additional reports claim Meek’s probation officer has received threats in light of his actions on social media outlets like Twitter.

Assistant District Attorney Nicole A. DeSantis told the judge that Williams was prolific on Twitter and other social media. As a result of some of his pronouncements, she said, Williams’ probation officer had received threats from Williams’ followers via social media. At times, the exchanges between Williams’ lawyer, Gary Silver, and DeSantis grew heated. At one point, the court stenographer asked them to speak one at a time. The judge said Williams needed etiquette classes to refine his use of social media and to help him explain the nature of his business to the court. She recommended that Philadelphia radio host Dyana Williams conduct the classes because of her knowledge of the music business. The judge said the etiquette classes were “more important than any concerts he might have.” (Philly)

Back in December, Mill received some bad news about how much he could travel in light of legal issues.

Williams, a 25-year-old North Philly street rapper with a growing reputation as the “next big thing,” was supposed to be in Los Angeles on Wednesday to appear on the Conan O’Brien show, his last U.S. stop before ending 2012 in Africa with shows in Lagos, Nigeria, and Libreville, Gabon. But Williams is on probation for a 2008 gun-and-drug conviction for which he needs to periodically appear in Philadelphia courts. Judge Genece Brinkley’s ruling today ensures his tour will be limited to the streets of North Philadelphia. At issue was a request by Williams to lift a ban on travel for concert and other related appearances. (Philly)

He also had a court meeting a month prior to address past gun and drug-related charges.

Philly rapper Meek Mill will be back in court on Monday. Prosecutors tell us he has a status hearing on his prior gun and drug charges. We are also told the judge is not happy with the rapper who, earlier this month, told the judge he missed a court appearance because he was trapped in New York after Hurricane Sandy. But, that same day, Meek Mill was pulled over in Philadelphia, detained in a jail cell, and tweeted a picture about the incident. (My Fox Philly)