Young Thug’s Attorney Requests House Arrest After Receiving New Judge In YSL’s RICO Case . Rapper Young Thug has been incarcerated for more than two years in connection with a slow-moving gang case. With a new judge now overseeing the proceedings, his legal team is pushing for his release.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, finds himself at the center of a complex Atlanta gang trial. Recently, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker took over the case, which has led to a surge of new motions. One of the primary requests is a renewed appeal to release the rapper from what his attorneys describe as “torturous conditions” in jail.
Just a week after Judge Whitaker assumed control of the case, Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, filed a motion on July 23, urging the judge to release the rapper on bond. The proposal includes house arrest with strict monitoring until the trial reaches a verdict. This comes after Judge Ural Glanville, who previously presided over the case, was removed following revelations of a secret meeting with prosecutors and a key witness.
Judge Glanville had consistently denied requests for Thug’s release, resulting in the rapper languishing in jail for years without a conviction. In his motion to Judge Whitaker,said
“The most fundamental premise of our criminal justice system is that the criminally accused cannot be punished for an offense until the prosecution proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” Steel told the new judge in his filing. “In our society, liberty is the norm.”
Thug, along with several others, was indicted in May 2022. Prosecutors allege that their group, YSL, is not merely a record label called Young Stoner Life but a violent gang known as Young Slime Life. Under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, the group is accused of operating a criminal enterprise involved in murders, carjackings, armed robberies, drug dealing, and other crimes over a decade.
The trial began in January 2023 but has faced numerous delays and disruptions. These include an unprecedented 10-month jury selection process, the stabbing of another defendant, and the removal of the presiding judge. Prosecutors have only presented part of their extensive list of potential witnesses, and the case is expected to extend well into 2025.
Since his arrest on the day the indictment was released, Young Thug has remained in jail. Attorney Steel has repeatedly requested pre-trial release, but these requests were denied by Judge Glanville. Prosecutors had argued that Thug might intimidate witnesses if granted bond. At a hearing last year, the judge ruled that Thug posed a “significant risk to the community.”
In the latest motion, Steel urged Judge Whitaker to dismiss these concerns, reiterating promises that Thug would comply with strict house arrest conditions. These include electronic monitoring, hiring off-duty police officers for security, monitoring all communications, and searching all visitors. Steel argued that such measures would prevent any possibility of witness intimidation or obstruction of justice.
Steel described Thug’s jail conditions as “tortuous,” including 22 hours of daily isolation, “inedible food,” and an “ant-infested room” with no view. He suggested that house arrest with an ankle monitor would be a lawful confinement without the harsh conditions of jail.
Alongside Thug’s motion for bond, Judge Whitaker is also dealing with other motions, including multiple requests for a mistrial. Attorneys for Yak Gotti (Deamonte Kendrick) argued that Judge Glanville’s secret meeting with prosecutors was an “egregious violation” and grounds for an immediate mistrial. They claimed that Kendrick’s Constitutional rights were violated as neither he nor his attorneys were present during a critical stage of the proceedings.
Another defendant, Quamarvious Nichols, argued that a new judge could not make informed rulings after missing the first 19 months of trial, during which over 100 witnesses testified. Attorney Bruce Harvey stated that the court had missed crucial proceedings necessary for fair rulings and proper jury instructions.
Prosecutors are also filing new motions. On Tuesday, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office asked the judge to order defense attorneys to stop making “extrajudicial statements to the media” about the case, arguing that it could prejudice jurors. They cited specific statements allegedly made by Steel, Weinstein, and other defense lawyers to media outlets.
Judge Whitaker has scheduled a hearing next week to address and potentially decide on the various new motions. As the legal battle continues, Young Thug’s fate hangs in the balance, with hopes pinned on the new judge’s rulings.
