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YSL case: Rapper Yak Gotti to appear in court for emergency bond hearing

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Published  December 17, 2024 6:56am EST
YSL Trial
FOX 5 Atlanta
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The Brief

    • Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, will be in court for a hearing to ask the judge for an emergency bond after his acquittal in the long-running YSL RICO case.
    • Kendrick's attorneys claim that he is not safe while in custody in the Fulton County Jail on a charge connected with allegedly possessing contraband in jail. 
    • The attorneys say the rapper would follow all conditions of the bond and is not a threat to the community or witnesses connected with the case.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Former YSL defendant Deamonte Kendrick and his attorneys return to court on Tuesday for a hearing to ask a Fulton County judge for bond.

On Dec. 9, attorneys for Kendrick, who goes by the stage name Yak Gotti, filed an emergency motion for bond, citing concerns about his safety while in custody in the Fulton County Jail.

Kendrick has been in jail since May 2022, when he was indicted along with Young Thug, Gunna, and 25 others as part of an investigation by Fulton County prosecutors into allegations the group violated Georgia's gang and racketeering laws.

After a trial filled with delays, judge changes, and controversies, the jury acquitted Kendrick of all charges. The other defendant remaining in the case, Shannon Stillwell, was found guilty of only gun possession.

In his motion requesting bond, Kendrick's attorneys say he remains in jail because of a 2023 charge accusing him of possessing or providing prohibited items to an inmate.

"But for his arrest on said case, Defendant would not have been in custody," the motion states.

SEE MORE: YSL RICO trial defendant files class-action lawsuit over Fulton County Jail conditions

Fulton County DA to set trial for remain YSL defendants

Now that the longest criminal trial in Georgia history is over, Fulton County prosecutors want to move forward with trials for the five remaining YSL defendants. the district attorney's office filed a motion Friday asking to set the trial date for February 24.

Kayla Bumpuss, Kendrick's attorney, claims his client has experienced violence during his time in custody, including an incident on Dec. 1 when he was attacked.  

"It is evident that the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office cannot keep Mr. Kendrick safe," Bumpus wrote.

The motion also references a Justice Department report released on Nov. 14, which condemned conditions at the Fulton County Jail. The report detailed systemic issues, including pest infestations, malnourishment, and a high risk of violence among incarcerated individuals. The DOJ concluded that these conditions are unconstitutional and unlawful, stating:

"People incarcerated in the Fulton County Jail suffered harm from pest infestation and malnourishment and were put at substantial risk of serious harm from violence by other incarcerated people — including homicides, stabbings, and sexual abuse. The unconstitutional and unlawful conditions at the Fulton County Jail have persisted for far too long."

MORE: Young Thug allowed to visit Atlanta home starting in 2027 if he does this

Kendrick's attorneys claim he is no threat to the community and will not contact victims or witnesses connected to the case. 

The hearing will be at 9 a.m. with Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney.

The Source: Information for this story came from Fulton County court records and previous FOX 5 reporting.

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