Young Thug, YSL RICO Trial: Bond denied for Young Thug, Mariah The Scientist in court

First hearing with new judge in Young Thug trial

The YSL TRIAL resume Tuesday with the trial's third judge. Judge Paige Whitaker heard motions from both sides. Young Thug and several other defendants are charged with violating racketeering and gang laws.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The long-running Young Thug and YSL trial in Fulton County resumed promptly on Tuesday at 8:45 a.m.

The trial, now in its eighth month, is considered the longest in Georgia history. This week, the new judge assigned to the case addressing various motions filed by both the defense and the State by the end of last week.

Bond denied again for Young Thug

Bond was denied again Tuesday morning by the new judge in the Young Thug and YSL trial. Judge Whitaker is hearing multiple motions today.

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker is the third judge assigned to the case, following the recusals of Judge Ural Glanville and Judge Shukara Ingram. Ingram recused herself due to a conflict of interest with a Fulton County deputy allegedly in a relationship with a co-defendant. Glanville was removed over a meeting with prosecutors and a witness.

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MOTION TO RESTRICT EXTRAJUDICIAL STATEMENTS

Update: This was the first motion that Judge Whitaker ruled on. Basically, she said she was not going to issue any sort of "gag" order at this time.

The state filed a motion to restrict extrajudicial statements by the defense. In response, defendants cited a press conference by District Attorney Fani Willis aired on Fox 5 Atlanta on May 10, 2022. During the press conference, DA Willis claimed that gangs were responsible for 75 to 80% of all violent crime in Atlanta and discussed targeting and prosecuting those involved in gangs.

The response also mentions three podcasts by an individual known as KingSlime, released in August 2023 during voir dire and prior to jury selection. In these podcasts, DA Willis again discussed gangs and crime. The response argues that the press conference and interviews were prejudicial against their clients.

MOTION TO DISQUALIFY LEAD PROSECUTORS

Update: Judge Whitaker says she is not ruling on the motion to disqualify prosecutors Love and Hylton today until she has more time to go through the transcript from the ex-parte meeting.

Another motion involves Young Thug's (real name Jeffery Williams) request to disqualify lead prosecutors Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love and Deputy District Attorney Simone Hylton. Williams asserts that Love and Hylton have made themselves critical witnesses in the case. In response, the state claims that Williams cited no facts or laws to justify disqualifying the attorneys.

MOTIONS FOR MISTRIAL AND RELEASE ON BOND

Update: Judge Whitaker has ruled against a mistrial based on Judge Glanville's finding that the ex parte hearing was not improper. Judge Whitaker says the motion is asking her to act as an appellate court and something beyond her normal duty.

Judge Whitaker has also denied the new request for bond for Jeffery Williams. According to the judge, recent events do not constitute a "change in circumstances" and she will not reconsider bond for any of the other defendants who filed motions, including Qua Huey. Judge Whitaker also pointed out that Judge Glanville was not removed because he was biased, but because he engaged in an exposition on the facts in making his rulings on the motion to recuse.

Additionally, Williams is moving for a mistrial, claiming his constitutional right to be present at critical stages of his proceeding, specifically the meeting between Judge Glanville, prosecutors, and witness Kenneth Copeland, was violated. The motion argues that Williams' continued incarceration is punitive without legal justification, asserting a "substantial likelihood of reversal" by an appellate court if he is "wrongly" convicted. It also highlights the "unlivable, inhumane conditions" of the county jail he has endured. At the very least, the motion requests Williams' release on bond with 24-hour surveillance by law enforcement.

Williams' lawyer, Brian Steel, stated, "The most fundamental premise of our criminal justice system is that the criminally accused cannot be punished for an offense until the prosecution proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

MOTION FOR MISTRIAL FROM DEAMONTE KENDRICK

Update: Judge Whitaker says the motion is similar to the motion to disqualify the prosecutors and she needs to go through the transcripts a little further before making a ruling. Judge Whitaker also said she will make a "substantive finding" about the ex parte hearing tomorrow.

Deamonte Kendrick has filed a motion that accuses the State of goading Kendrick to file for a mistrial to respect his Constitutional rights and to essentially restart the trial since it has not proceeded in the manner they anticipated. The motion says the State intentionally impeached several witnesses, including Kenneth Copeland.

MOTION FOR MISTRIAL BASED ON JUDGE SUBSTITUTION

Update: Nichols' lawyer, Bruce Harvey, argued during court that a new judge at this point could not be expected to simply pick up the case from another judge. Judge Whitaker has ruled against a mistrial based on judge substitution.

Quamarvious Nichols has filed a motion for mistrial and severance. Nichols argues that the mid-trial substitution of a judge violates his Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. He also takes issue with the new judge's admission of unfamiliarity with previous trial proceedings and argues that the month-long recess was unfair.

MOTION AGAINST KENNETH COPELAND STATEMENTS

Defendant Shannon Stillwell has filed a motion for reconsideration. Stillwell initially objected to the admission of statements made by Kenneth Copeland in September 2022. After the original trial judge was removed, the motion was refiled for consideration.

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MOTION TO EXCLUDE VICTIM CHARACTER EVIDENCE

Update: It appears that the State is specifically concerned about statements by Kenneth Copeland that Donovan Thomas Jr. may have killed someone before he was killed. The State is also arguing that Young Thug has evidence (recordings) that is directly related to the muder of Thomas.

The State has filed a motion against saying the defendants may try to place the character of the deceased victim, Donovan Thomas Jr., in issue at the trial. Defendants Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick are charged with killing Thomas. The State says that a murder victim's character is irrelevant and inadmissible.

MOTION FOR ALLEGED WITHHELD EVIDENCE BY WILLIAMS

Another motion under consideration by the state demands defendants' compliance with reciprocal discovery obligations and the exclusion of any evidence intentionally withheld and not timely disclosed. According to the motion, Jeffery Williams (Young Thug) has repeatedly withheld evidence in his possession even before the trial began.

Other motions include:

A motion seeking that any sealed document in the trial be reviewed by a neutral judicial officer.
A motion from Williams opposing vague questions.
A motion from Williams regarding self-serving hearsay.
A motion for correct ruling on adoptive admissions.
A motion for "correct" ruling on assuming facts not in evidence.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Judge Whitaker allowed attorney Brian Steel to give several examples of "lies" told by the prosecution, specifically ADA Love. Steel also listed several problems with the trial so far.

Judge Whitaker then asked ADA Love for an explanation. It appears that she was unsatisfied with Love's responses and ended it by saying, "Ms. Love, I would like to remind you to take your duty of candor with more seriousness." She also thanked Steel for providing clarity.

Additionally, Judge Whitaker told the attorneys that she expects to see the first batch of information requested about upcoming witnesses by the end of next week and information for the batch after that by the end of the following week.

Before court adjourned for the day, the State requested that the jury hear testimony from a witness besides Kenneth Copeland when the jury returns due to a scheduling concern. However, attorney Keith Adams objected on behalf of client Jeffery Williams and the judge told the state their request is denied.

MARIAH THE SCIENTIST IN THE COURTROOM

Young Thug's girlfriend, rapper Mariah The Scientist, was spotted in court on Tuesday, according to ThuggerDaily.

It appears that the pair started dating in November 2021, at least that is when the first photos of the couple went public. Their relationship became "official" after Williams' arrest in Fulton County. Young Thug also appeared in the rapper's music video for "From A Woman" on the album "To Be Eaten Alive" in October 2023.

Tuesday was not Mariah The Scientist's (real name Mariah Amani Buckles) first appearance in the courtroom. She has been spotted in the courtroom several times.

BACKGROUND

Young Thug and his co-defendants were indicted in 2022. Following the longest jury selection in history (10 months), the trial began in late November 2023.

The trial has faced numerous disruptions, including illnesses, the arrests of a juror and lawyer, the stabbing of defendant Shannon Stillwell, and various other interruptions.

There are five others on trial with Williams: Marquavius Huey, Deamonte Kendrick (known as Yak Gotti), Quamarvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan, and Shannon Stillwell.

Several other defendants are still waiting to go to trial. Some have already made deals with the state, charges were dropped for one individual convicted of an unrelated murder and serving life in prison, another defendant is serving time for shooting a police officer in February 2022, and one person has yet to be arrested.