Young Thug, YSL Trial Day 22: Defense calls case 'too cumbersome' for jury

ATLANTA - The trial of Young Thug and his YSL co-defendants began its 22nd day in Fulton County a day after the Atlanta rapper's attorney argued the case was becoming too cumbersome for the jury to comprehend.

Brian Steel who represents the Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, argued before Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville late Monday afternoon that prosecutors are introducing acts that make the case harder for the jury to wrap their heads around.

Atlanta Police Officer Andre Bent took the stand Tuesday to discuss an intrinsic act dating back to Feb. 25, 2014.

Act 66 of the indictment revolving around Quamarvious Nichols' charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon was also discussed Tuesday.

Det. Mark Belknap, two other officers and a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent were also expected to take the stand.

Steel told the court Tuesday that Belknap's appearances on the stand feel like the "Detective Belknap Show," where the Atlanta police investigator takes the stand to draw lines between the testimony heard in court.

The judge did not make a ruling on both points raised by Steel.

Young Thug, YSL Trial Day 21 recap

Earlier in the day on Monday, Steel was fired up about prosecutors reading handpicked lyrics to Young Thug’s song "Droppin Jewels."

In a fiery argument before Judge Glanville, Steel made his impassioned plea to play the entire song.

"Your honor, the state of Georgia said this is what Mr. Williams said," Steel argued. "What I’m saying is actually what he said is this, and I’m putting in the completion of the story. You know what this song is about? It’s about coming from nothing. It’s about telling your kids, not that you’re riding around with a body, it’s about telling your kids, ‘If you live under the circumstances that Mr. Williams did, you may have to kill somebody because they’re gonna kill you.’ It’s self-defense."

Steele added that the trial could drag on until the Super Bowl of next year, that he doesn’t want to play the song in seven months, and that he should be able to do it now.

The state questioned key witness Trontavious Stephens about lyrics in what appeared to be an effort to prove that "Thug" does not stand for "Truly Humble Under God" as the defense alleges.

Young Thug, Mariah the Scientist video call goes viral

The YSL RICO trial was put on pause last week after Glanville "fell ill" and needed time to recover.

In the days since the trial was put on pause, a video of a jail call between the Atlanta rapper and his girlfriend, Mariah the Scientist, was shared online.

The intimate video recording, which appears to have been recorded after Christmas at the Cobb County Jail, went viral on several platforms.

The two-minute clip caught the attention of rappers Drake and Meek Mill, the former of whom called out Glanville about his handling of the case.

"This gotta be some form of jail misconduct," Drake wrote on Instagram. "You gonna drag this talented man then not be able to control your employees using his personal business for their own gain? Somebody benefitted from this video even existing and that’s shameful whole case is a wash just 3 the guy and let him come home and continue bringing light to Atlanta!"

In a statement to Billboard, the Cobb County Jail said the call had not been leaked and instead was part of an open records request for phone calls and videos of Young Thug.

When was Young Thug arrested?

Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, was arrested on May 9, 2022, after a sweeping 88-page indictment accused him of being the co-founder of Young Slime Life, or YSL, a subset of the Bloods street gang. Prosecutors allege those named in the indictment have engaged in violent criminal activity in the city since 2012.

Despite requests for bond and an elaborate house arrest plan proposed to the court, Williams remained behind bars after concerns were raised over witness intimidation.

What are the charges Young Thug faces?

A Fulton County grand jury indicted Young Thug in May 2022, and more charges were added in a subsequent indictment in August of that year. The second indictment accuses Young Thug and 27 other people of conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. The rapper is also accused of participation in criminal street gang activity, as well as drug and gun charges.

Prosecutors say Young Thug and two other people co-founded a violent criminal street gang in 2012 called Young Slime Life, or YSL, which they say is associated with the national Bloods gang. The indictment says Young Thug "made YSL a well-known name by referring to it in his songs and on social media."

In addition to specific charges, the August indictment includes a wide-ranging list of 191 acts that prosecutors say were committed between 2013 and 2022 as part of the alleged conspiracy to further the gang’s interests.

Included in that list is an allegation that Young Thug threatened in July 2015 to shoot a security guard who was trying to get him to leave an Atlanta-area mall. The indictment also says Young Thug rented a silver Infiniti sedan that was used in the killing of a rival gang member. And, on numerous occasions, he and others are alleged to have possessed various illegal drugs that they intended to distribute.

What do Young Thug's defense lawyers say?

Young Thug’s lawyers have said in multiple court filings that he is innocent of all crimes charged in the indictment. They argue that YSL is simply a record label. The rapper has pleaded not guilty.

Multiple defense attorneys in the case have said prosecutors were overzealous in their use of the RICO statute and the anti-gang law, both of which carry heavy penalties.

Who else is charged in the Young Thug YSL RICO trial?

Rapper Gunna, whose given name is Sergio Kitchens, was charged with a single count of racketeering conspiracy. He entered an Alford plea in December, which means he maintains his innocence but recognizes that it’s in his best interest to plead guilty.

During Gunna’s plea hearing, the rapper responded, "Yes, ma’am" when a prosecutor said that "YSL is a music label and a gang" and that he had knowledge that its members or associates had committed crimes in furtherance of the gang.

The other two people accused of co-founding the YSL gang — Walter Murphy and Trontavious Stephens — were also charged. They each pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-racketeering law.

The remaining defendants are Marquavius Huey, Deamonte "Yak Gotti" Kendrick, Quamarvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan and Shannon Stillwell. 

What penalties does Young Thug face if he's convicted?

Young Thug’s racketeering conspiracy charge and two gang charges each carry a penalty of five to 20 years in prison. The other five charges also carry potential prison time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report