August 14th 2024.
After taking a two-month break, the highly controversial trial of rapper Young Thug, involving racketeering and gun conspiracy charges, resumed on Monday, Aug. 12. Judge Paige Whitaker of the Superior Court welcomed the Fulton County jurors back, noting that this has become Georgia's longest-running criminal trial since it began in January 2023. However, the trial faced yet another delay and a request for a mistrial due to unexpected turns and complications that have put the entire case in jeopardy.
According to reports from NBC News, Judge Whitaker subtly addressed her addition to the trial, following the removal of Judge Ural Glanville last month. She reminded the jury not to be concerned with this change and reassured them that a judge's decisions and remarks do not indicate any bias towards one side or the other in the case.
The trial's return also brought forth some unusual moments, such as the testimony of star witness Kenneth Copeland, who repeatedly claimed to not recall certain details when questioned by prosecutors. At one point, Copeland even complained about Young Thug rapping about him in songs, suggesting that this led investigators to target him. However, when asked when Thug had rapped about him, Copeland could not recall.
This testimony came two months after Thug's lawyer, Brian Steel, filed a motion for Judge Glanville's recusal. This motion was made after Glanville and prosecutors were accused of having a private meeting with Copeland, excluding the defense. Such meetings, held without all parties present, may be seen as suspicious and can potentially lead to witness tampering.
This accusation led Judge Glanville to hold Steel in contempt of court after he refused to disclose who informed him about the meeting. As a result, Steel was sentenced to spend weekends in jail while he appealed the contempt ruling.
Young Thug has been in jail since May 2022 on charges of conspiracy, criminal street gang activity, and firearm and drug-related offenses. The prosecution is using Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, statute against the Grammy Award-winning rapper and five other co-defendants.
Since taking over the trial, Judge Whitaker has reviewed several motions, including those from the defense attorneys requesting a mistrial. Meanwhile, the prosecution has noted that they still have 105 witnesses to present, with 75 already testifying. The trial is expected to continue with Whitaker at the helm, and the outcome remains uncertain.
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