Meek Mill’s Amazon Prime Video docuseries “Free Meek” detailed the rapper’s 12-year legal battle and Philadelphia police corruption. After airing last August, one former Philadelphia police officer is now suing the five-part series for defamation.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, ex-cop Saqueta Williams is suing Meek Mill, JAY-Z, Amazon and others, claiming that “Free Meek” inaccurately portrayed her as a “dirty and dishonest” officer. In the federal lawsuit, Williams further claims that the series falsely suggested she lied to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit.
Spanning across 33 pages, Williams’ complaint seeks $75,000 in damages and claims that Mill, JAY-Z and Amazon “inspected and edited” her allegedly defamatory episode and published it “despite having entertained serious doubts as to the truth of the publication.” Roc Nation and Wenner Media are also named as defendants in the suit.
The episode in question is the fourth of the series, titled “Filthadelphia.” The episode examines the Philadelphia district attorney’s “Do Not Call” list, which includes current and former police officers that have been accused of misconduct. The docuseries aired the names of 66 cops on the list, who have all been accused of misconduct by some degree.
Williams asserts that her photo is shown during this episode, as one of the cops on the “Do Not Call List,” while the narrator explains that the list includes officers who “have lied to Internal Affairs, to other police officers or in court.” Although her name is not mentioned, Williams claims this suggests she is guilty of lying to Internal Affairs.
Williams is actually included on the list for drawing her gun while off-duty during a confrontation at a bar. According to The Inquirer, she was charged and later acquitted of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats and related offenses. After the case, Williams was dismissed from the police force in 2017.
“The documentary paints our police officers with a very broad brush,” Williams’ attorney, Steven Marino, told the outlet. “It’s simply not true and damaging.”
Mill, Roc Nation and Amazon have not publicly responded to the lawsuit yet.