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Defense attorneys involved in the Young Thug racketeering conspiracy trial have filed an urgent petition urging the Georgia Supreme Court to intervene and compel Fulton County Chief Judge Ural Glanville to recuse himself and allow an impartial decision on his ongoing involvement in the high-profile case in Atlanta.
The emergency petition, spanning 26 pages and filed on behalf of Young Thug’s co-defendant and fellow rapper Yak Gotti, alleges that Judge Glanville engaged in “judicial misconduct” by convening a clandestine meeting with prosecutors and a crucial witness without informing the defense. This witness, Kenneth Copeland, had already been sworn in for live testimony before the jury on June 7 but was held in contempt by Judge Glanville for refusing to cooperate and spent the weekend in jail. Subsequently, after the secret meeting on June 10, Copeland returned to testify.
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The defense attorneys, Douglas Weinstein, Jay Abt, and Katie Hingerty, contend in their filing that the undisclosed meeting raises concerning issues regarding Judge Glanville’s potential collaboration with prosecutors to coerce Copeland into testifying. They assert that the secretive nature of the meeting aimed to exert pressure on the witness to provide testimony under duress.
Moreover, the defense team emphasizes their right to access the complete meeting transcript, citing the possibility of Copeland’s statements undermining his credibility during cross-examination.
At the crux of the trial is Copeland’s significance as a witness due to his involvement with an Infiniti sedan allegedly rented by Young Thug, later linked to the 2015 murder of Donovan “Nut” Thomas Jr. in Atlanta. Yak Gotti, also known as Deamonte Kendrick, faces specific charges related to Thomas’ murder alongside co-defendant Shannon Stillwell, while Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, stands indicted on a count of racketeering conspiracy.
The petition further alleges that Glanville communicated to Copeland during the covert meeting that he could be detained until the conclusion of trials for all 27 defendants, not just the current six facing jurors, encompassing the longest criminal trial in Georgia’s history.
Claiming that Copeland expressed willingness to provide false testimony if compelled to return to the stand, the defense team insists that such statements hold substantial importance as potential defense evidence. They criticize Glanville’s actions, which included finding Williams’ defense lawyer Brian Steel in contempt for questioning the meeting’s secrecy on June 10.
The defense counsels stress the urgency of intervention to prevent Glanville’s control over the course of Copeland’s cross-examination. They argue for a stay in proceedings and immediate relief, highlighting the critical juncture of Copeland’s testimony in the trial.
In response to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment, the Fulton County Superior Court and prosecutors remained unavailable. Glanville previously rebuffed multiple recusal motions, suggesting that appellate review could follow post-trial.
Williams, Kendrick, and the remaining defendants have all pleaded not guilty and are set to undergo trial for the foreseeable future. Prosecutors have mobilized an extensive witness list, with over 70 individuals testifying thus far in the protracted proceedings. Steel denounced the case against his client as unconstitutional and unjust.
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