Young Thug Trial: Brian Steel argues about phone call; Young Thug posts on X
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Day 99 of the Young Thug/YSL trial saw attorneys completing the review of many hours of interviews with witness Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland and engaging in a contentious discussion surrounding a phone call between Copeland and Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams.
Copeland, who was in jail at the time of the phone call due to a probation revocation, can be heard on the recorded call complaining to Young Thug that he doesn't have a lawyer. Young Thug then appears to offer his lawyer to Copeland.
Young Thug/YSL trial: A tired Kenneth Copeland returns to witness stand
The Fulton County District Attorney's Office wants to use the phone call to help prove that Young Thug was the leader of a criminal organization, the YSL gang, and that he was offering to help a co-conspirator get out of jail.
Young Thug's lawyer, Brian Steel, objected to the characterization.
Steel told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville that the conversation, which was cut off right after Young Thug said "You know my lawyer," was incomplete and irrelevant.
"Since it was cut off, it is incomplete. I don't know the relevance. I am objecting to that. I am objecting to the relevance of 'You know my lawyer,'" Steel said.
Steel also told the judge that if anyone had bothered to check, they would see that he has never had anything to do with Copeland.
The prosecution shot back that they strongly believe that the fact Young Thug was offering his lawyer to a co-conspirator was definitely relevant and that Steel never representing Copeland goes to the weight, not the admissibility, of the evidence.
Ultimately, the judge ruled that the full phone call could be played for the jury.
WATCH DAY 99 IN FULL BELOW
Steel argues to have Young Thug at review
Before Judge Glanville recessed court for the day, he asked if there was anything else to be discussed.
Steel began saying that he wanted to bring his client to the in-camera review of the ex parte meeting scheduled for Monday.
Glanville immediately cut Steel off and asked if he had any other case law to support his position besides the cases he had already mentioned.
When Steel told the judge that he needed his client there, Judge Glanville doubled down, stating that the meeting was for lawyers only because of information that may be exchanged that is covered by attorney-client privilege. However, Steel had gotten his point across.
Steel then cited several case titles and continued to insist that defendants have the right to be present at "any critical stage" of their trial. Judge Glanville then told Steel that he would take a look at those cases but asked Steel to let him get through the in camera review on Monday.
The in camera review, which will be done without spectators either in person or online, was originally scheduled for July 3 but appears to have been moved up to July 1.
The ex parte meeting was held June 10 in the judge's chambers with Copeland and members of the prosecution. After Steel found out about the meeting, he filed a motion to have Judge Glanville disqualified or recused from the case. However, Judge Glanville dismissed the motion.
Young Thugs posts on X
In other Young Thug news, a post on Young Thug's X account appeared at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday that reads "whaeva wham say goes."
"Wham" is the nickname that Young Thug reportedly gave to rapper Lil Baby.
Hip Hop Ties then posted that Young Thug is showing support for Lil Baby after Gunna (Sergio Kitchens) posted a video discussing his YSL situation.
Lil Baby, whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones, has allegedly taken shots at Gunna through his music in the past, and their relationship is reportedly frayed.
Gunna entered an Alford plea – an agreement that allows a defendant to maintain their innocence but accept a sentence – in December 2022. The plea deal sentenced him to five years with one year to serve in prison. That time was commuted to time served, and the balance was suspended.
Many people in the hip-hop community have viewed Gunna as a snitch since he took the plea deal.