In Atlanta, the judge overseeing the racketeering and gang prosecution against rapper Young Thug and others has been removed from the case due to a meeting he held with prosecutors and a state witness, prompting defendants to seek his recusal. Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville held the case in Atlanta to allow another judge to review the motions for recusal, and Judge Rachel Krause ultimately granted the motions and assigned the case to a different judge to preserve the public’s confidence in the judicial system. This ruling will cause further delays in a trial that has already lasted over a year, with jury selection starting in January 2023 and opening statements in November.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was charged two years ago in a wide-ranging indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He is also facing charges related to gang, drug, and gun crimes and is on trial alongside five other indicted individuals. Lawyers for Young Thug and co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick filed motions for Glanville’s recusal, alleging that the judge had an improper meeting with prosecutors and a key witness without defendants or defense attorneys present. The defense argued that this meeting was inappropriate and suggested that the judge and prosecutors tried to influence the witness’s testimony.
The office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, responsible for prosecuting the case, argued against Glanville’s recusal, asserting that it was unnecessary. Young Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, maintains his client’s innocence and emphasizes the importance of a fair trial to clear his name. Similarly, Kendrick’s attorney, Doug Weinstein, supported the recusal order and expressed eagerness to proceed with the trial before an unbiased judge. A spokesperson for Willis’ office chose not to comment on the ruling, and Glanville has yet to respond to requests for comments.
Judge Krause, who replaced Glanville on the case, generally agreed with his assessment of the meeting’s propriety, noting that while nothing inherently improper occurred during the meeting, it could have been conducted in open court for transparency. Krause emphasized the importance of judges disclosing information relevant to potential recusal objectively and non-argumentatively, citing a need for impartiality. Young Thug’s success in the music industry as CEO of his record label, Young Stoner Life (YSL), and the success of the album “Slime Language 2” reaching No. 1 on the charts in April 2021 highlight his prominent position in the industry.
Prosecutors allege that YSL, which could also stand for Young Slime Life, is a violent street gang affiliated with the national Bloods gang and established by Young Thug and two others in 2012. The indictment accuses individuals named in the case of committing violent crimes, including killings, shootings, and carjackings, to generate funds for the gang, enhance its notoriety, and expand its influence and territory. The prosecution has presented multiple witnesses during the trial, which has been ongoing since the opening statements were made in November, as they seek to demonstrate the accused individuals’ involvement in criminal activities related to the gang.
