YSL defendant in Young Thug trial sues Fulton County jail over poor conditions
Although Young Thug was released from Fulton County jail earlier this year and his RICO case dismissed after a plea deal was taken, the lawsuit continues to have ramifications as one of the emcee’s co-defendants, Shannon Stillwell, is suing the prison for the alleged poor conditions he had to endure while in jail.
Stillwell’s lawyer filed the lawsuit in Federal Court on December 10th, precisely one week after he was found guilty of a single charge and sentenced to time served and probation. Thug’s co-defendant was released from the facility on December 17th. Still, the lawsuit filed on his behalf and the behalf of his fellow prisoner, Nkenegen Hambrick, is a class action lawsuit. This means that the case will affect everybody who has been and is currently detained in Fulton County jail.
The alleged dismal conditions and inadequate treatment he experienced in the jail prompted Stillwell to take this action, and the lawsuit names Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat and the county’s chief jailer, John Jackson, specifically.
According to Stillwell, conditions at the jail are “cruel and unusual” and violate prisoners’ Constitutional rights. It further claims that the staff do not make an effort to prevent access to “readily available materials” for creating makeshift weapons. Furthermore, Stillwell insists that broken doors are not fixed, so inmates can “enter or exit jail cells without authorization”, leading to a hazardous and unsafe environment.
The class action lawsuit looks to address the “unclean and unhygienic” conditions and “insufficient and nutritionally inadequate food” that inmates are subject to upon arrival at Fulton County jail. Stillwell was one of two defendants in Thug’s YSL case who took the case to trial, alongside Yak Gotti. Gotti was found not guilty on all counts, including a murder charge. However, Stillwell was found guilty on one charge concerning the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Still, many want to see the YSL RICO drama put to an end. The case was the longest in Georgia’s history and dates back to May 2022. Initially, Young Thug and Gunna were arrested. However, the case ended with 26 others in jail, all charged with various offences, including the infamous charge of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO).
The jury selection process took ten months, and the official trial began only a year ago. However, it seems Stillwell wants to see the state of Georgia and, more specifically, Fulton County jail pay for the conditions he had to endure for two long years while incarcerated. However, considering he is taking on a state institution, it may be a long battle and one he could lose. A response from Fulton County jail has yet to be issued.