Today marks one year since jury selection began in the sweeping Fulton County gang and racketeering trial against Grammy winning rapper Young Thug and several of his alleged accomplices.
The slow-moving case has been marred by repeated delays, including an attorney’s courthouse arrest, a deputy who was accused of having a romantic relationship with a former defendant and a recent jailhouse stabbing.
There’s also been contraband brought into the courtroom, the seizure of a defense lawyer’s laptop and a prospective juror was unknowingly surveilled by prosecutors for more than a month because they didn’t believe he lived in Fulton.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Selecting a jury took 10 months, and the “Young Slime Life” gang case is officially the longest criminal state trial in Georgia’s history. The second-longest was the 2014-2015 RICO trial over the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal, which lasted eight months.
Other lengthy, high-profile Georgia cases have included the trial of Brian Nichols, who took a courthouse deputy’s gun before killing her, a Fulton judge and a court reporter in March 2005; the trial of Justin Ross Harris, who was accused of leaving his young son to die in a hot car; the case of Fred Tokars, an Atlanta lawyer who masterminded the murder of his wife; and the 14-week trial of Steve Kaplan, the owner of Atlanta’s infamous Gold Club.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was one of 28 people indicted in the spring of 2022. The bombshell indictment alleges the chart-topping rapper is a co-founder and leader of YSL, which prosecutors contend is a Bloods-affiliated street gang formed along Cleveland Avenue. Investigators say the group is responsible for drug deals, a rash of robberies, drive-by shootings and the deaths of at least three people in Atlanta.
Williams’ attorneys strongly deny the allegations. They contend their client is innocent of all the charges against him and that YSL or “Young Stoner Life” is simply the name of the star’s record label.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The 65-count indictment lists 191 “overt acts,” which prosecutors say were carried out in furtherance of the gang. In addition, Judge Ural Glanvillle is allowing the state to introduce at least 17 sets of rap lyrics as evidence if prosecutors can lay the foundation for how the star’s music pertains to real-world crimes allegedly committed by YSL members.
Most of the 34 witnesses called by the state so far have been investigators or current and former law enforcement officers involved in various aspects of the case. On Wednesday, however, prosecutors called Tronatavious Stephens, one of nine YSL defendants who previously accepted plea deals.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Stephens pleaded guilty in late 2022 to a single count of conspiring to violate the state’s racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) act. He was sentenced to 10 years, with two years commuted to time served and eight years of probation. In exchange for the deal, he agreed to testify at trial.
Stephens initially proved to be a difficult witness for lead prosecutor Adriane Love, who seemed frustrated by his apparent reluctance to name names or incriminate any of the defendants.
Much of his testimony centered on being a member of the gang ROC Crew, which law enforcement says stands for “Raised on Cleveland” and was a precursor to YSL.
Stephens was asked to read his plea agreement on the stand and acknowledged under oath that YSL was formed by himself, Young Thug and Walter Murphy, a former defendant who also accepted a plea deal in late 2022.
Stephens also acknowledged knowing at least four other defendants from “the neighborhood,” but he did not say they were gang members or testify under oath that he ever saw them doing anything illegal. Love, who accused her own witness of being “unresponsive” at times, showed jurors several photographs of his alleged gang tattoos.
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Stephens said the group started calling itself “Young Successful Lifestyle” after Williams was signed to a record deal and that they hoped to portray a “rough and rugged” image to capture the attention of listeners because “that’s what was selling at the time.”
The state’s witness list includes hundreds of names, including musicians and other celebrities, and the trial could last through 2024.
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