Young Thug YSL trial: Trontavious Stephens on gang symbols

Trontavious Stephens’ testimony in Young Thug YSL trial

Will Trontavious Stephens testimony in the Young Thug YSL RICO trail have a negative impact for the prosecution? Experts weigh in on what he's said on the stand so far.

ATLANTA - The trial of Youth Thug and his co-defendants in Fulton County continued for only an hour on Thursday before breaking for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

The trial has been progressing slowly, as some court observers have noted. The trial is only 18 days and will not reconvene until January 22.

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Impact of Trontavious Stephens’ testimony in Young Thug YSL trial

Trontavious Stephens is a co-founder of YSL, former defendant, and friend to rapper Young Thug.

A legal expert says it is too early to determine what effect a contradictory state witness will have on the Young Thug trial.

Trontavious Stephens, a friend of Young Thug and cofounder of the YSL gang, testifies in a Fulton County courtroom on Jan. 11, 2024. (FOX 5)

Legal experts say the important question here is, "Will the jury consider this witness credible?"

"Do you remember this being a highlight on Jeffrey and GQ magazine?" defense attorney Brian Steel asked Stephens on Thursday, pointing to a photo of the rapper wearing a light blue sweater with images of rabbits and blue pants.

A photo Young Thug in a GQ magazine photo was introduced as evidence in the YSL trial in Fulton County by defense attorney Brian Steele on Jan. 11, 2024. (Supplied)

The image marked "Exhibit # 26" was used by the defense to emphasize Williams was publicly breaking the dress code of the Bloods street gang, to which the Young Slime Life gang is reportedly affiliated. The Bloods are known to avoid the color blue, instead opting for red. YSL gang members also reportedly wear green, prosecutors have said.

"What's the predominate color? Steele asked Stephens, showing him a photo of rapper Lil Wayne and questioning him on what the symbols, merchandise and tattoos represent.

"Red. He is an icon in the music business," he responded.

Defense attorney Brian Steele, who represents Young Thug asks witness Trontavious Stephens to describe the different symbols, merchandise and tattoos seen in a photo of Lil Wayne during the YSL RICO trial on Jan. 11, 2024. (Supplied)

Stephens gave conflicting testimony over his 6 days under oath, saying YSL was a street gang when prosecutors asked him and a music label under cross examination.

A legal expert, who is not involved in the case, says it is difficult to predict what the jury will ultimately believe.

"In this case, my understanding is, this particular witness is an admitted gang member, and is a friend or former friend of the defendant, and a convicted felon," attorney Steve Lowry said.

Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, sits in a Fulton County courtroom during the YSL RICO trial wearing a Comme Des Garcons Play sweater on Jan. 11, 2024. (FOX 5)

Prosecutors allege Young Thug was the leader of the YSL street gang connected to the Bloods that committed murders, robberies, and shootings.

The defense says many of the lyrics, tattoos and hand signals prosecutors want to use as evidence are just elements of American music culture.

"This probably won't be the first witness who's gonna change their testimony and so, with this many witnesses, it is something that's going to happen," Attorney Lowry concluded.