Young Thug’s Motion For A Mistrial And Release On Bond Have Been Denied
The appointment of a new presiding judge over Young Thug’s YSL RICO trial has not resulted in the rapper receiving any legal reprieve, as his requests for a mistrial and to be granted bond have both been denied.
On Tuesday (July 30), Judge Paige Reese Whitaker rejected both motions filed by Thug’s legal team, citing the circumstances surrounding Judge Ural Glanville’s removal from the case, which she believes does not constitute a ruling in the defendant’s favor.
The latest development in the trial, which has become the longest in Georgia history at eight months, comes mere weeks after Judge Glanville’s removal from the case after he and the prosecution met with state witness Kenneth Copeland without their knowledge.
Glanville was then replaced by Judge Shakura Ingram just days later, who recused herself due to a romantic relationship her former courthouse deputy had with one of the defendants in the case. Whitaker was then named as the third judge to the case.
Arrested in May 2022 with dozens of others, Young Thug is alleged to be one of the heads of the YSL gang and is facing several charges, including possession of drugs and weapons, participation in criminal street gang activity, and conspiracy to violate Georgia’s (RICO) Act.
According to the state, YSL was a murderous criminal organization that participated in violent activity, much of which is said to have been commited at the behest of Thug and his cohorts. However, Young Thug has maintained his innocence, arguing that YSL is merely a record label built on the success of himself and his artists, not a gang.
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