Judge suspends Young Thug trial indefinitely
An Atlanta judge indefinitely stayed rapper Young Thug's racketeering trial after his lawyers asked the judge to recuse himself over allegations of misconduct.
Lawyers say Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville held an “inappropriate” meeting on June 10 when he met privately prosecutors and a key witness.
Defense lawyers alleged that Judge Glanville sought to pressure the witness to testify and urged to recuse themselves, requests that the judge had rejected.
Judge Glanville announced Monday that he would release the transcript of the private meeting and send the recusal requests to another judge.
Judge Glanville said the trial would remain on hold until another judge decides whether to stay on the case.
The ruling marks the latest delay in the trial of Atlanta rapper Jeffery Lamar Williams, whose case has only progressed since his arrest in May 2022.
Jury selection for the trial – which included testimony from dozens of witnesses – lasted nearly 10 months.
Prosecutors accused the Atlanta rapper of co-founding a violent street gang in his hometown, hitting him with racketeering charges.
Georgia prosecutors used the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (Rico) Act – famously used in Mafia prosecutions – to charge the rapper and 27 associates allegedly involved in the criminal enterprise.
Mr. Williams, 32, is also charged with gang, drug and gun crimes and is on trial with five of the others charged with him.
The judge's announcement Monday came after Young Thug's lead attorney, Brian Steel, was found guilty of criminal contempt last month.
Mr. Steel had questioned Judge Glanville about the meeting with prosecutors and the witness and refused to reveal who told him about it.
Judge Glanville then ordered Mr. Steel to serve 20 days in jail over the weekend, but the Georgia Supreme Court stayed the decision while Mr. Steel was appealing.
Prosecutors expressed concern about the effects of further trial delay on the jury.
“Do we have a timetable for when the motion for recusal can be heard? Simone Hylton, an assistant Fulton County prosecutor and a key prosecutor in the case, asked.
"I don't know," Judge Glanville replied. “I had nothing to do with it.”
An Atlanta judge indefinitely stayed rapper Young Thug's racketeering trial after his lawyers asked the judge to recuse himself over allegations of misconduct.
Lawyers say Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville held an “inappropriate” meeting on June 10 when he met privately prosecutors and a key witness.
Defense lawyers alleged that Judge Glanville sought to pressure the witness to testify and urged to recuse themselves, requests that the judge had rejected.
Judge Glanville announced Monday that he would release the transcript of the private meeting and send the recusal requests to another judge.
Judge Glanville said the trial would remain on hold until another judge decides whether to stay on the case.
The ruling marks the latest delay in the trial of Atlanta rapper Jeffery Lamar Williams, whose case has only progressed since his arrest in May 2022.
Jury selection for the trial – which included testimony from dozens of witnesses – lasted nearly 10 months.
Prosecutors accused the Atlanta rapper of co-founding a violent street gang in his hometown, hitting him with racketeering charges.
Georgia prosecutors used the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (Rico) Act – famously used in Mafia prosecutions – to charge the rapper and 27 associates allegedly involved in the criminal enterprise.
Mr. Williams, 32, is also charged with gang, drug and gun crimes and is on trial with five of the others charged with him.
The judge's announcement Monday came after Young Thug's lead attorney, Brian Steel, was found guilty of criminal contempt last month.
Mr. Steel had questioned Judge Glanville about the meeting with prosecutors and the witness and refused to reveal who told him about it.
Judge Glanville then ordered Mr. Steel to serve 20 days in jail over the weekend, but the Georgia Supreme Court stayed the decision while Mr. Steel was appealing.
Prosecutors expressed concern about the effects of further trial delay on the jury.
“Do we have a timetable for when the motion for recusal can be heard? Simone Hylton, an assistant Fulton County prosecutor and a key prosecutor in the case, asked.
"I don't know," Judge Glanville replied. “I had nothing to do with it.”
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