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Defense attorneys involved in the ongoing Young Thug racketeering conspiracy trial have urgently petitioned the Georgia Supreme Court to intervene and compel Fulton County Chief Judge Ural Glanville to allow an impartial judge to decide on his recusal from the current highly publicized case in Atlanta.
Representing Young Thug’s co-defendant and fellow rapper Yak Gotti, the defense team filed a 26-page emergency petition alleging that Judge Glanville engaged in “judicial misconduct” and infringed upon Yak Gotti’s right to a fair trial. This accusation stems from a clandestine meeting held by Judge Glanville with prosecutors and a crucial witness, Kenneth Copeland, without notifying the defense. Copeland, who had been sworn in for live testimony in front of the jury, was held in contempt by Judge Glanville for refusing to answer questions after receiving immunity and spent the weekend in jail. The subsequent secret meeting on June 10 influenced Copeland’s return to the witness stand.
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The defense attorneys, Douglas Weinstein, Jay Abt, and Katie Hingerty, argue in their filing that the undisclosed meeting raised serious concerns about potential coercion of Copeland to testify. They assert that Judge Glanville and the prosecutors collaborated to pressure Copeland back onto the witness stand under the looming threat of re-arrest.
Pointing to the covert nature of the meeting, the defense team insists on accessing the full transcript to potentially challenge Copeland’s credibility on cross-examination. Copeland’s significance in the case lies in his association with an Infiniti sedan allegedly rented by Young Thug, linked to the 2015 murder of Donovan “Nut” Thomas Jr. in Atlanta. Yak Gotti, also known as Deamonte Kendrick, faces charges related to Thomas’ murder alongside another defendant, Shannon Stillwell. Young Thug, or Jeffery Williams, is indicted on a racketeering conspiracy charge, with Thomas’ murder cited as an act in furtherance of the purported gang conspiracy.
The defense’s petition reveals allegations that during the covert meeting, Glanville hinted at potentially prolonging Copeland’s incarceration until the completion of trials for all 27 remaining defendants named in the indictment, not just the current six defendants. Moreover, the defense claims Copeland expressed willingness to perjure himself if compelled to testify, including falsely admitting to Thomas’ murder. These statements are deemed crucial material for the defense’s case. The defense team rebukes Judge Glanville for finding Young Thug’s defense lawyer, Brian Steel, in contempt when he questioned the court about the secret meeting and refused to disclose his information source.
Weinstein and the co-counsel assert, “Glanville made every effort to conceal the meeting from defense counsel, going as far as holding Steel in contempt for protecting our source’s identity.” Urging a halt to the proceedings, the defense insists on immediate action to prevent Glanville’s control over the cross-examination of Copeland, who is currently on the witness stand.
At the time of writing, the Fulton County Superior Court spokesperson and prosecutors have not provided comments on the emergency petition. Judge Glanville had previously dismissed three recusal motions, including requests from Kendrick’s lawyers and Steel, hinting at possible appeals post-trial.
Williams, Kendrick, and four other defendants maintain their innocence and are anticipated to remain on trial for the rest of the year. Despite over 70 witnesses already called by the prosecution in the protracted trial, the case against the defendants remains unfinished. Steel has criticized the case against Young Thug as “unconscionable and unconstitutional.”
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