0:52
- ABC News
- April 3, 2020
Meek Mill, Jay-Z group sends masks to prisons
The group will send 50,000 masks to Rikers Island, which has over 200 cases.
Video by Will Linendoll
0:52
Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis.
My uncle called me from the hospital sounding like he critical condition from covid-19... He just was healthy weeks ago! Don’t go outside and walk a deadly virus in the house with your family! 🙏🏾🙏🏾 (fallback) pls
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) April 2, 2020
Rikers Island will receive 50,000 masks and an additional 2,500 masks are being sent to the Rikers medical facility.
Rikers is one of the largest prison complexes in the world and has suffered from a surge of cases in New York, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/rikers-island-file-ap-jef-200311_hpEmbed_25x16_384.jpg\")
According to The Legal Aid Society, which is tracking COVID-19 cases in New York jails, there were more than 200 positive cases of COVID-19 in Rikers Island facilities as of Thursday.
The Tennessee Department of Corrections will be sent 40,000 masks, which will be distributed to correctional facilities in the state impacted by the crisis.
The rest of the masks will be sent to the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, which was sued earlier this year by Jay-Z and fellow hip-hop artist Yo Gotti over \"barbaric\" conditions that allegedly led to deaths of multiple inmates.
Correctional facilities, where inmates are often crowded into small spaces and share facilities that make social distancing incredibly challenging, are particularly susceptible to the outbreak and hundreds of inmates and prison personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Most recently, four inmates died after testing positive for the coronavirus at FCI Oakdale federal prison in Louisiana over the span of five days, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
We're fighting hard, but we need everyone's voice right now.
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) March 25, 2020
Talk to your Governor today and tell him to protect people behind bars from #COVID19.
Safer prisons = safer communities. https://t.co/bRRbiHHy8F
Last week, REFORM Alliance released the \"SAFER Plan\" -- a set of recommendations based on consultations and the advice of medical experts and prison reform advocates from across the political spectrum -- to protect prisoners during the pandemic.
\"We are on the verge of a humanitarian crisis,\" Jessica Jackson, chief political officer at REFORM Alliance, said in a statement to ABC News. \"There are horror stories coming from people in jails and prisons across the country. REFORM Alliance is seeking help to get medical supplies into correctional facilities, and we're also pushing Governors across the country to enact our SAFER Plan recommendations to get people out quickly and safely.\"
Both federal and state prisons are facing hurdles in managing the COVID-19 threat as prison officers, guards and inmates test positive for the virus.
Over the past week, judges around the country ordered thousands of inmates released amid reports of shortages of medical and cleaning supplies.
President Trump on prisoners being released amid COVID-19 pandemic as correctional facilities face shortages of supplies: “We don’t like it. The people don’t like it and we’re looking to see if I have the right to stop it in some cases.” https://t.co/fuHRzDTtdB pic.twitter.com/xxVap3UWtO
— Deena Zeina Zaru 👩🏻💻 (@Deena_Zaru) April 2, 2020
President Donald Trump criticized the move on Thursday when asked what the federal government is doing to protect inmates.
“We don't like it,\" he said about prisoners getting released. \"The people don't like it and we’re looking to see if I have the right to stop it in some cases.\"
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Health/meek-mill-jay-zs-criminal-justice-organization-ramps/story?id=69943866","legacySlug":"/wellness/story/meek-mill-jay-zs-criminal-justice-organization-ramps-69943866","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"11:01","publishDate":"04-03-2020","updatedTime":"11:58","updatedDate":"04-03-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"Rapper Meek Mill at Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, May 3, 2018, in Boston.","credit":"Maddie Meyer/Getty Images, FILE","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/meek-mill2-gty-ml-180613_hpMain_2_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"4/3/2020 11:01:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":69943866,"headline":"Meek Mill, Jay-Z group sends masks to prisons","mediaAssetTitle":"JAY Z MASKS","description":"The group will send 50,000 masks to Rikers Island, which has over 200 cases.","duration":"0:52","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200331_vod_cookcountyjail_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Meek Mill, Jay-Z group sends masks to prisons","description":"The group will send 50,000 masks to Rikers Island, which has over 200 cases.","duration":"0:52","uploadDate":"04-03-2020","publication":"04-03-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200331_vod_cookcountyjail_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200331_vod_cookcountyjail_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/meek-mill-jay-zs-criminal-justice-organization-ramps-69943866"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Meek Mill, Jay-Z group sends masks to prisons","pubTime":"07:01","pubDate":"04-03-2020","modTime":"07:58","modDate":"04-03-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":69943866,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"Will Linendoll","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Meek Mill, Jay-Z group sends masks to prisons","mediaAssetTitle":"JAY Z MASKS","videoId":69943866,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/wellness/story/meek-mill-jay-zs-criminal-justice-organization-ramps-69943866"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/69943866","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/69943866","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};