The high-profile RICO trial involving rapper Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, and several associates resumed on August 12, 2024 in Fulton County, after an eight-week delay. The trial, which began in January 2023, centers on allegations that Young Thug’s music label, YSL (Young Stoner Life), is not just a record label but also a criminal gang known as Young Slime Life, responsible for crimes like murder, armed robbery, and drug trafficking over the past decade.
This case has been fraught with complications, most notably a secret meeting between the previous judge, prosecutors, and a key witness, Kenneth Copeland, which led to significant controversy. According to a report by Billboard, Copeland admitted during the meeting that he had “never been truthful a day in my life,” which the defense argued violated the Brady rule—a legal requirement that mandates the prosecution disclose any evidence that might favor the defense.
Despite the defense’s arguments, newly assigned Judge Paige Reese Whitaker denied motions for a mistrial, saying it was not enough to force prosecutors to start from scratch after 20 months of trial. Although she denied the motion, Judge Whitaker acknowledged that the prosecution’s failure to disclose this information warranted criticism. She ordered the prosecution team to undergo remedial training.
“The court … orders, as a remedial measure, that the entire prosecution team working this trial submit to training on Brady and other professional obligations of a prosecutor,” the judge wrote. “This training will consist of a video replay of training on this topic.”
The trial, which has already seen numerous delays, is expected to continue for several more months.
The attorneys at Chilivis Grubman represent clients of all types and sizes in connection with criminal defense, particularly in RICO matters. If you need assistance with such a matter, please contact us today.