01E05 - Episode #1.5

Meek's family and supporters gather at the courthouse as Judge Brinkley is scheduled to review his petition for immediate Post-Conviction Relief. During the hearing, even the District Attorney's office concedes that Meek's conviction should be overturned and that he should be given a new trial. However, the Judge's demand for an evidentiary hearing in 60 days shocks everyone and Meek's lawyers must scramble to come up with a new plan as their client continues to languish behind bars. The FREE MEEK movement coalesces efforts to make changes to the legal system. The protests are at fever pitch when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court intervenes and decides that Meek should be released on bail while his hearings play out. Although he is whisked from prison on a helicopter and given a hero's welcome at a Philadelphia 76ers basketball game, he is not yet truly free. Judge Brinkley still presides over his case and will be the ultimate decider of his fate. His time in prison has left him psychologically wounded and Meek struggles to re-integrate with his former life. He returns to the familiar ground of the recording studio and works to translate his personal experiences into his art. The resulting work is a radical evolution in his music. Meek's team gathers at the courthouse once again for what should be the final time in front of Judge Brinkley as she forces them to lay out the case for Meek's freedom. Another shocking decision by the Judge sends Meek into an uncertain legal situation. Meek drops his album Championships, and commits to a new course in his life, speaking for the millions of people unfairly caught up in the criminal justice system. No longer reluctant to be the face of a movement, Meek and a panel of luminaries launch the REFORM Alliance, an organization with the stated goal of freeing one million people from the bonds of prison.