New judge makes vital decision in Young Thug’s RICO trial
Rapper Young Thug’s RICO trial has been rumbling on since 2022, with many twists and turns taking place, making it one of the most closely followed cases in the entertainment industry. Now, the new judge in the trial has denied the rapper’s latest attempt at bond.
Earlier this month, the case’s original presiding judge, Ural Glanville, was removed, which provided yet another significant hitch. This followed Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, accusing Glanville of holding a secret meeting with the witnesses and prosecutors before receiving testimonies. Glanville denied the allegation and maintained he would remove himself from the case if an investigation found him guilty of misconduct.
Prior to the ensuing investigation, Steel entered a heated argument about Glanville’s meeting with the witness Kenneth Copeland. In response, he filed a motion asking for Glanville’s dismissal, asserting that his actions were “unconstitutional”. As a result of the investigation into the meeting, the Fulton County court deemed the judge’s actions not proper, and determined that he should be recused for the “necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system”.
That was not all, though. Following Glanville, Judge Shukura L Ingram was the next to preside over the case. However, her time was brief, and she recused herself only a handful of days after securing the role. In a clear reflection of how complicated the case has been, Ingram revealed that her deputy had previously had an inappropriate relationship with Thug’s co-defendant, Big Bhris. She also claimed that the deputy had even attempted to sneak contraband into jail for him. Furthermore, Ingram argued that these aspects impact the court’s impartiality.
Judge Paige Reese Whittaker has now taken charge of the case. As one of her first major moves, she has denied Young Thug’s latest motion to get bond. Despite his attorneys outlining the reasons he should have the opportunity, Whitaker said in court, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: ” “I am not going to reconsider any bond issues that have already been ruled on absent legitimate changed circumstances”.
In response, Steel claimed Thug’s conditions behind bars warrant a bond. “Those are not the kinds of changed circumstances that speak to the Ayala factors. So I’m not going to reconsider the bond,” Whitaker then argued.
In the motion, Thug’s team argued that two factors justifying his bond are that he is not a flight risk and is innocent until proven guilty.
Elsewhere, due to factors such as prison stabbings and the debacle with the judges, the former chair of Georgia’s Judicial Qualifications Committee, Lester Tate, has labelled Young Thug’s RICO trial as a “dumpster fire”.