After being in jail for over one year, rapper Young Thug is ending the second week of trial on charges of racketeering and gang and conspiracy charges.
Prosecutors are alleging that the rapper born Jeffery Williams was the driving force behind a continuing criminal enterprise. The trial is large in scope as prosecutors allege that crimes span from 2015 to 2023; it runs parallel to the trial of former president Donald Trump; and hip-hop's reaction to Young Thug's lyrics being used in court.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis indicted Trump, along with 18 of his allies, on RICO charges, for attempts to overturn the election results in Georgia. In May 2022, Willis indicted Young Thug and 28 co-defendants in a 56-count indictment, including charges of drug possession, murder, and other alleged crimes.
"As the district attorney of Fulton County, my No. 1 focus is targeting gangs," Willis told reporters at a news conference. "And there's a reason for that. They are committing, conservatively, 75 to 80% of all of the violent crime that we are seeing within our community."
Prosecutors are arguing that YSL, Young Thug's record, Young Stoner Life Records, stands for Young Slime Life, which prosecutors allege is a street gang with ties to the Bloods gang. Willis claims that Young Thug is the mastermind behind crimes committed by individuals associated with YSL such as robbery, murder, attempted murder, and witness intimidation. Williams pleaded not guilty. Many of the defendants have already accepted plea deals. Young Thug is now standing trial with five other men.
During opening statements on Monday, Adriane Love, the chief deputy district attorney for Fulton County, said that YSL "moved like a pack, with the defendant Jeffery Williams as its head" - referring to the rapper by his nickname King Slime - as it sought to establish dominance, control and fear through a pattern of illegal activities in the Atlanta area.
During opening statements, Adriane Love, the chief deputy district attorney, said that YSL "moved like a pack," and Jeffery Williams, Love asserted, was the head of the pack. Love also referred to Young Thug as King Slime.
"They knew who their leader was, and they knew the repercussions of not obeying their leader," Ms. Love said after quoting from Rudyard Kipling's "The Law of the Jungle."
Briann Stell, Young Thug's lawyer argued that YSL is nothing more than a successful record label. Artists on YSL's record label are only portraying a gangster image because of the social ills that plagued their upbringing.
Steel described Young Thug as someone who is being taken advantage of by criminals, liars snitches, and rats.
"Jeffery doesn't even know most of the people in this indictment," Mr. Steel added. "They all know him because everybody in that area knows Jeffery Williams. He is known as the Michael Jordan of that area."
How Did This Begin?
Donoan Thomas Jr., also known as Nut, was murdered in a drive-by shooting. Detectives alleged that Thomas was a member of the Inglewood Family, a sub-set of the Bloods. Thomas was also associated with Atlanta rappers YFN Lucci, who is also facing a RICO indictment, and Rich Homie Quan.
According to Willis, Thoma's murder resulted in a gang war, causing violence to spread throughout Atlanta. Willis alleged that the Inglewood Family and YSL engaged in more than 50 violent acts against each other.
Young Thug is not charged with Thomas's murder, but prosecutors allege that Young Thug arranged the murder by renting an Infiniti Q50 sedan, which was used in the shooting.
Steel's opening arguments claimed that Young Thug rents cars for friends regularly, and he unknowingly and unwillingly participated in the feud between Thomas and Kenneth Copeland, known as Lil Woody, who is expected to testify against Young Thug.
Young Thug's current co-defends include Marquavius Huey, Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, Quamarvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan, who is serving life in prison for a 2019 murder; and Shannon Stillwell. All are charged with violating the RICO law.
Thirteen of the original 28 defendants had their cases separated from the group for unclear reasons, mostly as a result of logistics. Young Thug's brother, Quantavious Grier, also known as rapper Unfoonk. Rapper Gunna has been considered a snitch by some members of the hip-hop community.
