November 10th 2023.
An important decision has been made in the RICO case against Atlanta rapper and label owner Young Thug. Judge Ural Glanville has ruled that lyrics said by the artist in sound recordings can be used as evidence against him and his associates. This has caused some controversy, as defense attorneys for Young Thug argue that using his lyrics in the case against him violates his freedom of speech.
In her decision, Judge Glanville ruled that 17 sets of lyrics that were presented in the indictment could be admitted in the trial. She also stated that if prosecutors want to submit any additional lyrics as part of the alleged evidence, they would have to be given to her to review before the trial starts later this month.
Prosecutors argue that the lyrics prove that the alleged crimes committed took place and are relevant to the case that’s being presented. They are targeting the right to free speech, yet defense attorneys have argued that lyrics heard on record are a form of artistic expression and that they should not be used as evidence of his true state of mind. Furthermore, they claim that the lyrics were not even written by Young Thug himself.
Young Thug was charged with several counts in May of 2022, including conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, participating in street gang activity, violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and possession of a machine gun. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and opening arguments are slated to begin on Nov. 27.
The decision made by Judge Glanville has caused some serious discussion surrounding the issue of freedom of speech. It will be interesting to see how the case unfolds and whether or not it sets a precedent for future cases.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
