Young Thug’s attorney cites “unconscionable misconduct” in RICO trial
The Atlanta rapper Young Thug, real name Jeffery Lamar Williams, has been in jail since his May 2022 arrest. He was accused of establishing and helming a gang called ‘Young Slime Life’ that allegedly terrorised Fulton County with drug sales and armed robberies. Several shootings and at least three murders have also been linked to the group.
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) trial is still ongoing. This week, it encountered a few bumps in the road following accusations of unlawful activity from the judge and prosecution.
An open filing shared by Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Jozsef Papp on X on July 10th reveals that lawyer Brian Steel has again filed for a mistrial, following previous allegations that claimed the judge and prosecutors had an “unlawful, improper ex parte meeting” with key witness Kenneth Copeland.
In the new 233-page file, Steel documents that Judge Rachel Krause and Glanville should not be working together on the case, given that they supported each other’s re-election campaigns. Steel also appealed for District Attorney Adriane Love and prosecutor Simone Hylton to be dismissed from the trial due to their alleged meeting with Copeland.
Steel called the actions of the court “disgraceful” and stated that the individuals named would “never be trusted by Mr Williams or undersigned counsel.” Adding: “The criminal justice system in Fulton County, in the State of Georgia and in America has been attacked by the conduct of these three actors.”
The dissonance began in June when Steel began arguing with Judge Rachel Krause about her alleged clandestine meeting with Copeland. The accusation gained a degree of verity after Glanville ordered Steel to expose who informed him about the meeting.
Steel refused to disclose a name and was arrested by order of the judge for contempt of court. The dramatic turn of events unfolded on a live stream of the courtroom. “You can purge that contempt just by telling who it is that told you that information,” the judge told Steel. That’s all I need to know.”
He also simply requested that his jail time be spent with his client, Williams, so they could continue to prepare their defence case. The lawyer was ultimately granted a bond and didn’t have to spend any time in jail. “We are thrilled that Brian will be home with his family for Father’s Day this weekend,” Steel’s lawyer announced. “We appreciate how quickly and thoughtfully our appellate courts handled this unfortunate situation.”
This is a developing story.