NBA YoungBoy receives update on federal gun case
Drew Findling, the defence attorney working on NBA YoungBoy’s federal gun case, has claimed the trial should be postponed. As there are currently similar rulings taking place in higher courts, Findling believes the authorities should wait until those cases have been settled before moving ahead with YoungBoy’s.
Findling made this argument in a brief that he filed with the court on August 5th. He stated that if the higher courts make rulings on their cases, the precedent attached to NBA YoungBoy’s ongoing trial will likely change.
In response, the prosecution declared they do not believe the trial should be postponed. They stated that a similar case regarding Zackey Rahimi was heard in the US Supreme Court earlier in the summer. Due to the recency of this case and the similar circumstances surrounding it, they state that the precedent established within is sufficient for their trial to go ahead.
YoungBoy’s case relies on the notion that prohibiting someone’s right to own a firearm, regardless of whether that person is a felon or not, is unconstitutional and goes directly against the Second Amendment. Findling highlighted the differences between YoungBoy’s case and Rahimi’s, stating that the Rahimi case centred around whether or not he was a threat to society. Despite YoungBoy being a felon, it was never proven that he remained a danger to society.
“After Rahimi, it is still an open question whether Congress can simply prohibit all convicted felons, regardless of the nature of the felony, from possessing a firearm, or whether such prohibitions can be applied without individualised findings that a particular defendant presents a credible threat to the safety of others,” the defence wrote, “And finally, it is an open question whether such prohibitions may be permanent.”
Fieldings would like to wait for the outcome of United States v Colette and Garland v Range. YoungBoy is asking the court for a delay in proceedings until these cases, which tackle similar issues, are resolved. In waiting, they state that a clear precedent will be set that they can apply to their case.
YoungBoy is facing further legal trouble for an ongoing prescription drug fraud case in Utah. This case has already been making big headlines, and fans are making their stance very clear as they interrupted the courtroom at one point to shout “Free YB,” telling Judge Spencer Walsh to “Shut your bitch ass up.”
The rapper is already deemed a felon thanks to being involved in a shootout in 2016. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm.