The YSL RICO trial, which includes rap artist Young Thug, has officially started with the first day of opening statements. As The Shade Room previously reported, the rapper has been awaiting trial since his arrest in Georgia in May 2022 on racketeering and conspiracy charges.
According to CNN, Thug was arrested along with 27 other defendants. Since then, “a number of defendants,” including fellow rapper Gunna and Young Thug’s brother, Unfoonk, have taken plea deals. Other defendants have reportedly been severed from the case for various reasons.
Young Thug remains one of six defendants and has maintained his innocence by pleading not guilty to his charges.
Monday’s opening statements follow 10 months of rigorous procedures for jury selection.
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According to CNN, opening statements of the YSL RICO trial “was called to order” on the morning of Monday, November 27. The case was put into recess after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville revealed one of the twelve jurors could not be located.
To note, Rolling Stone reports that 9 of the jurors are Black. Additionally, 9 are women, while 3 are men.
The outlet reports that after 40 minutes, the case resumed.
Rolling Stone reports that from there, the Fulton County District Attorney, Adriane Love, began with the state’s opening statements. In her words, Love claimed that YSL “ran as a pack” and drew the “innocence” and “lives” of its members. YSL allegedly stands as an acronym for Young Thug’s music label, Young Stoner Life Records.
Prosecutors believe the acronym stands for Young Slime Life, an “Altana-based street gang” behind murder, drug, and gun offenses.
“YSL ran as a pack,” Love apparently told the courtroom, per Rolling Stone“… For 10 years and counting, the group calling itself Young Slime Life controlled the Cleveland Avenue neighborhood of Fulton County. They created a crater … that engulfed the youth, innocence, and even the lives of some of its youngest members.”
Furthermore, Love claimed that Young Thug, whose government name is Jeffrey Williams, is the “head” of YSL.
… The members and associates of YSL moved like a pack, with defendant Jeffery Williams as its head,” Love apparently explained.
The Proceeding Hits A Hiccup With Talks Of Mistrial
According to the outlet, the case then hit a snag when Love apparently referenced Young Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, representing YSL codefendant Rodalius Ryan on a murder appeal.
WSBTV reports that Steel immediately “objected” to Love’s statement, which led to the jury being dismissed from the courtroom. Steel reportedly informed Judge Glanville that the district attorney “provided information to the jury … that was not disclosed to the defense.”
“There are at least a dozen slides that were never handed to us,” another defense attorney reportedly told the judge.
