FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Supreme Court has reversed an order of contempt against Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel by the former judge overseeing the YSL RICO trial in Fulton County.
On June 10, Steel was held in contempt by Judge Ural Glanville after he refused to divulge a source who told him about an ex parte conversation that took place before court that day.
This conversation, which involved the judge, prosecutors, and witness Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland, reportedly included Copeland's admission to killing Donovan "Nut" Thomas Jr.
Glanville ordered Steel from court. After a break, Steel was allowed to return to the courtroom but continued to refuse to discuss his source. Glanville then held Steel in criminal contempt and ordered him to be held at the Fulton County Jail for no more than 20 days.
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Young Thugs attorney held in contempt
A very explosive day in the YSL racketeering trial at the Fulton County Courthouse. The presiding judge has held Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel in contempt.
After Steel and other defense attorneys in the case asked a judge to recuse Glanville over the meeting, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause granted their motion, eventually assigning the case to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker.
MORE: Young Thug, YSL RICO Trial: June 10 ex parte meeting being discussed in court
While not faulting Glanville for holding the meeting and saying she has "no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter," Krause wrote that "the ‘necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system’ weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville" from the case.
Steel had appealed the contempt order and was granted bond while waiting for Georgia's highest court to hear his appeal.
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Transcript of YSL, Young Thug trial secret meeting
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville release a transcript of the controversial, secret meeting he had with key witness Kenneth Copeland in June.
In their ruling, the Supreme Court reversed the contempt order, saying that another judge should have presided over the contempt hearing because of Glanville's involvement.
"Because the announcement of a specific punishment was delayed by the trial court, Steel was entitled to additional process. In particular, he was entitled to have the matter heard by a different judge," the ruling reads in part. "The exchange between Steel and Judge Glanville makes clear that Judge Glanville was involved in the controversy. For these reasons, a different judge should have presided over the contempt hearing, and the failure to do so requires reversal."
The court said those rules apply because of a delay in punishment - in this case, allowing Steel to return to court and continue representing Williams.
Steel's attorney Ashleigh Merchant celebrated the ruling, writing on X, "Hooray for justice!!"
Young Thug, a Grammy-winning rapper whose given name is Jeffery Williams, was charged more than two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He is also charged with gang, drug and gun crimes.
The trial of Young Thug and five other co-defendants is now the longest in Georgia history.