Young Thug & YSL's New Judge Suggests Trial Might Delay Until August

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1059 Views
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Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers Game
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 21: Rapper Young Thug (R) and Lil Duke attend the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies basketball game at Staples Center on February 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork S. Djansezian/Getty Images)
It seems like the Young Thug and YSL RICO case might have its jury return to court a little later than anticipated to prepare accordingly.

The Young Thug and YSL RICO trial just underwent a massive overhaul, so it seems like it might need some time to fully get back into the swing of things. Moreover, the new judge in this case, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, reportedly organized an attorney-only hearing to do a progress check and outline what guidelines the court should follow moving forward. "I want to be moving forward efficiently and expeditiously," Judge Whitaker allegedly told the legal teams (per Rolling Stone), and also admitted to "parachuting in" with little prior knowledge of this specific trial and case.

However, one of the most important alleged points that this meeting discussed was Judge Whitaker's suggestion that the Young Thug trial might see another delay. According to these reports, she indicated that the jury might have to return to court sometime in August, presumably due to this change in judges throwing a huge wrench into the whole process. For those unaware, the court recused the original judge in the YSL case, Judge Glanville, for his poor handling of a controversial ex-parte meeting.

Young Thug At The 2021 BET Hip-Hop Awards

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 01: Young Thug attends the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on October 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/WireImage/Getty Images)

Then, Young Thug and YSL's trial found a new judge quick in Judge Shukura Ingram, who took over within hours of Glanville's exit. But the court saw yet another wild update and earth-shattering development when Judge Ingram recused herself from the trial barely a day after she emerged as its new overseeing authority. This was because of her previous court affiliation with one of the co-defendants in the YSL case, which could've presented more issues of conflicts of interest. Fortunately, it seems like Judge Whitaker is here to stay for now, and we'll have to wait for August to see more signifiant updates.

"Jeffery Williams is innocent of the charges brought in this indictment," Young Thug's lawyer Brian Steel stated in relation to these judicial changes. "To clear his name he sought a speedy trial, one in which he would receive the constitutional guarantees of a fair trial with an impartial judge presiding and ethical prosecutors following the law. Sadly, Judge Glanville and the prosecutors have run afoul of their duties under of [sic] the law. Mr. Williams is grateful that the reviewing court agreed with him and entered the order recusing and disqualifying Judge Glanville from presiding over Mr. Williams' case. We look forward to proceeding with a trial judge who will fairly and faithfully follow the law."

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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