On Monday (Sept. 30), the Young Thug and Young Stoner Life (YSL) trial resumed in Fulton County, GA following a delay caused by Hurricane Helene. During the proceedings, Thug's legal team, led by defense attorney Brian Steel, filed another motion for a mistrial and cited issues with hearsay evidence presented by the prosecution.
As shared by FOX 5 Atlanta on Tuesday (Oct. 1), Judge Paige Reese Whitaker expressed frustration with Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love's handling of the case, particularly regarding the presentation of evidence. "I can't figure out what it is," Whitaker said. "But it is baffling to me that somebody with your years of experience, time after time, seems to purposefully hide the ball as long as you possibly can."
After a recess, Judge Whitaker denied the motion for a mistrial. While Steel reminded the court of ongoing issues prior to Whitaker's involvement, the judge attributed them to "poor lawyering" rather than intentional attempts to throw the case.
The YSL trial began in November 2023 following a 10-month jury selection process – the longest in Georgia's history. Thug and several others (including Gunna) were indicted in 2022 for alleged violations of the state's RICO law and other violent crimes. Prosecutors have since claimed that YSL is a criminal street organization while the defendants stated it’s a legitimate record label. Gunna was released from behind bars after accepting a plea deal.
Said trial has faced numerous disruptions, including illnesses, arrests of a juror and a lawyer, the stabbing of a defendant, and the removal of the original judge. As REVOLT previously reported, peers like Drake took Fulton County’s prison system to task after a call between Thug and Mariah the Scientist leaked on social media.
“This [has to] be some form of jail misconduct,” the OVO artist commented on Instagram. “You’re gonna drag this talented man, then not be able to control your employees using his personal business for their own gain? Somebody benefitted from this video even existing, and that’s shameful. [The] whole case is a wash. Just [free] the guy, and let him come home and continue bringing light to Atlanta.”