Rapper Young Thugs’ Trial Stayed Due to Georgia Judge’s Review: Reports

An outside judge will decide whether to recuse the Fulton County judge who oversaw Young Thug’s trial and who has been accused of misconduct.

July 2, 2024 11:37 AM EDT | Update July 2, 2024 11:40 a.m. EDT

ATLANTA, GA — As an outside judge determines the fate of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville, reports indicate that the controversial racketeering and gang trial against rapper Young Thug has been put on hold indefinitely.

Glanville, who is accused of having a private meeting with star witness Kenneth Copeland and prosecutors on June 10, has been overseeing the trial against Young Thug and his co-defendants for several months.

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Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, known for his roles in “Lifestyle” and “Thief in the Night,” was one of 28 co-defendants accused of being linked to the alleged Young Slime Life gang. Williams’ lawyers claimed that YSL was Williams’ record label and stood for Young Stoner Life.

Williams’ attorney, Brian Steel, challenged Glanville on the alleged ex parte meeting and was found in contempt of court after failing to disclose the source of his information, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

RELATED: YSL defendant in stable condition after stabbing at Fulton jail: sheriff

Steel was taken into custody and ordered to spend time in jail; however, the Georgia Supreme Court granted the attorney an emergency motion staying Glanville’s order, the outlet reported.

Defense attorneys are seeking Glanville’s dismissal after accusing him and prosecutors of “pressured a key witness to testify — requests Glanville rejected,” the Washington Post reported.

Glanville announced Monday at a scheduled hearing, a transcript of which is expected to be released, that another judge would decide whether he should be recused, the Post reported.

“We will be on hiatus until then,” Glanville said, according to the report.

RELATED: Young thug lawyer asks prosecutor not to take on ATL gang case

Billboard previously reported that the charges against the defendants included murder, carjacking, armed robbery, drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession charges over the past 10 years.

After more than a year, the trial against Williams and a handful of others began on November 27, 2023, with Glanville on the stand.

One notable defendant was rapper Sergio “Gunna” Kitchens, who has since accepted an Alford plea deal.

The trial was briefly suspended after co-defendant Shannon Stillwell was stabbed on Dec. 10, 2023, during a fight with another inmate at the Fulton County Jail. Authorities said at the time that the inmate stabbed Stillwell multiple times during the fight. Stillwell was in stable condition.

It is unclear when the motion to recusal will be heard, or when the trial against Williams will resume.