Young Thug, YSL RICO Trial: Jury sent home unexpectedly on Thursday

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The jury in the Young Thug and YSL trial were sent home unexpectedly around 11 a.m. on Thursday morning reportedly because of an issue with a member of the jury.

After the jury left the courtroom, Judge Whitaker told the lawyers and defendants that they would take a long lunch break until 2 p.m.

Before the jury was excused, they heard testimony about 911 calls made in 2015 in connection to a crime that Antonio Sledge ped guilty to. They also heard testimony from a woman named Denise Bell who was shot during the same incident. 

Judge Whitaker did not explain what the issue might be. 

After the long lunch break, Judge Whitaker told the lawyers and defendants that they should try to get some other matters resolved so that they didn't waste time. 

The Young Thug and YSL RICO trial is currently the longest trial in the state of Georgia's history. 

EARLIER STORY

No jurors were present Wednesday in the Fulton County courtroom where the Young Thug and YSL RICO trial is taking place.

Several matters were addressed, and many noticed that Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, and his lawyer, Brian Steel, were seated at the front of the courtroom instead of their usual location.

According to Fulton County Sheriff's Office deputies, the change in seating appeared to be due to a security concern. However, defense attorneys argued that placing Williams at the front could give the impression that he is a leader because he is now seated at the "head table."

The prosecution also raised concerns about their private conversations being picked up on the court's livestream. However, the IT department informed Judge Whitaker that no private conversations were being captured by the cameras.

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, who took over the case from the original trial judge, also heard from a woman who identified herself as a "civil rights leader" and requested permission to record and report from the courtroom, as she didn’t see any other civil rights leaders present. After several minutes of discussion, Judge Whitaker granted her permission to use her laptop in the media area for reporting.

The judge and attorneys also spent some time reviewing the admissibility of certain "co-conspirator" calls, some of which were excluded, while others were allowed.

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They discussed whether the murder conviction and autopsy photos related to Roadalius "Lil Rod" Ryan should be admitted. The state said it would only present three photos. Judge Whitaker did not make a ruling on the matter and said she would seek a way to limit it to avoid prejudicing the jury.

Additionally, the attorneys argued again about "intrinsic acts" — criminal acts not included in the indictment but which the state believes are necessary to complete the narrative of the alleged crimes. Judge Whitaker also did not issue a ruling on the intrinsic acts.

Additionally, Judge Whitaker informed the attorneys that she plans to hold court on Election Day but will adjourn early to allow jurors time to vote.

Young Thug and 27 others were indicted in 2022 for violating Georgia's RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) law and committing multiple violent crimes. Following the longest jury selection in history (10 months), the trial for Young Thug and several co-defendants began in November 2023. It is now the longest trial in Georgia history. Prosecutors are attempting to prove that YSL (Young Slime Life) is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous offenses, including murder. The defendants maintain that YSL stands for Young Stoner Life and is the name of a record label founded by Young Thug. Young Thug is facing eight criminal charges. The trial has been plagued by various disruptions, including illnesses, the arrests of a juror and a lawyer, the stabbing of defendant Shannon Stillwell, the removal of the judge originally assigned to the case, and more.