Law&Crime Sidebar - Top 6 Amusing Moments in Rapper Young Thug’s RICO Trial

Episode Date: January 19, 2024

From a chart-topping music video being played for the court to a Zoom bomber demanding a mistrial, the trial of rapper Young Thug and his multiple co-defendants in Atlanta continues to entertain. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the top six recent moments that are making headlines around the world. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: https://www.forthepeople.com/LCSidebarHOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergVideo Editing - Michael DeiningerScript Writing & Producing - Savannah WilliamsonGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Is it a good thing or a bad thing to be known as much? I really don't fully understand the term. How then were you able to successful sell it? I never said I was successful. Free fuck, mistral. Free fuck, mistral. Gang ties, celebrities, sports, chart top.

Songs, prosecutors and defense attorneys have talked about it all in rapper Young Thug's Atlanta RICO trial. We're almost two months in, and we've still got a long way to go. We're bringing you the biggest recent moments from the courtroom that are making headlines and trending all over the world. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. Jesse Weber. This week, the trial of Jeffrey Williams, also known as Young Thug, as well as his co-defendants,

is on break for the MLK holiday. Now, Fulton County prosecutors accused the artist of running a gang known as Young Slime Life, which they say committed crimes like robberies and shootings and drug sales, even murder. Defense teams for the men say that YSL is just a record label, not a gang. So the rapper and his alleged co-gang members, they stand accused of running one of the biggest criminal enterprises in Atlanta history. That's what we're talking about when we say a RICO or racket-hearing conspiracy case,

that there was an alleged agreement to break the law, and these defendants and their unindicted co-conspirators took overt acts or steps to further that criminal enterprise. And that's what the prosecutors are trying to do here, right? So whatever actions people took, whatever criminal activity they took, whatever non-criminal activity they took, it wasn't to benefit themselves,

it was to benefit YSL. Let's just keep that in mind. So this trial, it kicked off just after Thanksgiving, after nearly a year of jury selection. And because of the number of charges, the number of defendants, the number of issues in scheduling, a lot of difficulties there,

it's been slow going, to say the least. Well, during the last few days of testimony, there were several outbursts and tense moments in the courtroom, and that's what we want to talk about, some of these big moments, because we really haven't focused on this trial in a minute. So, for example, on Wednesday, January 10th,

there was an interruption over Zoom when the judge was dismissing everybody, for a comfort break. Free thug, mistrial. Free thug, mistrial. You could hear the Zoom bomber there yelling, free thug and mistrial. Of course, someone interrupting things

is not grounds for a mistrial. And just because someone yells for a mistrial, doesn't mean it's going to come true. And it wasn't just people outside the courtroom that were pushing buttons. No, Judge, your old Glanville, who's overseeing this case, showed his irritation with one of the defense attorneys.

This happened during the testimony of former co-defendant Trantavius Stevens. He took a plea deal in this case, and he was being questioned by the prosecution when defense attorney Carlton Matthews, who represents co-defendant Markuarius Huey, objecting. I think he's finished already. So were you done with your answer?

Yeah. All right. So this is, yes or no? I mean, oh. Sir, sir, sir. Please sit down. please sit down thank you just just please sit down okay I don't need any help from you okay all right and there's no objection on the on the floor so all right

my objection in order to that last series is that court I'll ask the court for loud he's finished the statement there's nothing else it's it's like if he asked to continue a statement and fine but sit down and stop interrupting mr. Matthews At one point during the testimony, as Stevens was collecting his thoughts, the judge had some sharp words for a person in the gallery. Um, excuse me, Ms. Lowe, Madam in the black, get rid of your gum. Remove yourself in my courtroom and get rid of your gum. In the earrings, you, yes, you, get rid of your gum.

I apologize, Ms. Lowe. I gotta say something about this, sure, courtroom decorum, right? someone being a distraction or even chewing gum, it's an issue. But I don't know, for me, interrupting the witness in the middle of an answer to address this, there's one thing interrupting the attorney before they ask a question, but interrupting the witness before they deliver an answer, I don't know. But it's also not surprising from Judge Glanville. He runs a very tight ship.

You remember when he punished attorneys and potential jurors in his courtroom, ordered them to write essays and pay fines? I remember he ordered one attorney to buy his counsel. lunch one day. Now, during a more lighthearted, before court got underway one day, Brian Steele, this is Young Thud's attorney, he wanted to play a song that Young Thug is featured on called Lifestyle. All right, Mr. Steele, are you trying to show this video today? Yes, sir. I see it.

Thank you. Let's mark it, and can we pull it up so I can look at it? What exhibit are you going to mark it as? If he's faster. Your honor, that will be number 32, which would have a very few. And I'm fast, Mr. Cotomo, to share a board that you're asking.

If he's faster today, okay? Because I'm really, I'm really kind of annoyed with his slowness to pulling up these videos. I'm just teasing. All right. Mr. Kokomo, can you, uh, can you, uh, pull it up? Okay.

This is, you want to change. No pressure. Hold on, one second. Mr. Cocoa, I need to get my, Hey, this is Defendant Williams 32. Is that correct, Mr. Steele? Correct, you're out. All right, Mr. Coquam.

Go ahead and play, sir. Now, because of copyright issues, we can't actually play this song for you here on Sidebar, but the music video was played for the court outside the presence of the jury, and here are just a few of the lyrics. Bear in mind, I will not be rapping or singing on this podcast ever. If you expect it differently,

sorry to tell you, sorry to disappoint. That is not a strength of mine, and the first step is admitting what your weaknesses are. That is not a strength of mine. So, this is the lyrics. Quote, we came straight from the bottom to the top, my lifestyle. Thugger, thugger, that's my brother, brother. You don't want no trouble, trouble, or you can get these fists, knuckle,

and I'm a ride from my N-words, and I'm a die from my N-words. So why does Brian Steele want the jury to hear all of this? That was Judge Glanville's question, too. One time to know, Mr. Cogamow. All right, okay. All right. So, Mr. Steele, you want me to admit this and what's the reason? I suppose you're going to lay a foundation through Mr. Stevens? Good morning, sir. And yes. That's true. And then assuming that foundation is laid to the

soundable court's satisfaction, the court admits it, there are three things that are pertinent to this video. You will look, if you don't mind, or may remember, in Overt Act number 14 of count one, you will see a photograph that the grand jury attached to that charge. And it's Mr. Williams along with Mr. Copeland. It's a Instagram posting allegedly with Mr. Williams' Instagram handle. And they are wearing shirts that you see in this video. The shirts are RG and RG. It would be my contention stands for Rich Gang. And Rich Gang, we're here with, you know, an allegation of a criminal street gang.

And I want the jurors, I think I'm entitled, I would like to, entitled to show the jurors what rich gang is. That is their music compilation. Number two. Okay. There is a lot of red being worn in the video that has been just played for the ensemble court, which I believe is number 31. If I'm wrong, it's 32. 32. Okay, thank you.

And Mr. Williams is not wearing red in the video. It is being worn by other people. The third reason, Your Honor, is there are two witnesses on the state's witness list. Mr. Brian Williams, his performing name is Birdman. And, of course, I can't remember, it's Lamar, I can't remember his first name. Quintz, the Qantas Lamar?

Thank you, I apologize. Okay, all right. a performer known as Rich Homie Kwan or R.H.Q. He's in that video. He's a performer. It will explain Mr. Williams' relationship with them. Our understanding is, for now, the video won't come in. The judge didn't believe that Trontavia Stevens would be the best witness to give details about that.

Which brings us back to Mr. Stevens, one of the biggest witnesses so far. So Stevens, just to recap here, an alleged co-founder of Young Slym Life and friend of Young Thugs, spent six days on the stand so far. Stevens, also known as Tick or Slug, was charged as part of this sweeping RICO indictment but accepted a plea deal in December of 2022. He agreed to serve eight years of probation in exchange for lesser charges, and part of that deal was that he had to testify a trial. Now, when Stevens first took the stand,

prosecutor asked him about his personal gang ties. While you were a teenager and a young adult, did you ever get involved in any gang? Yes. Tell the jury if you were the first gang that you got involved with. First gang that I was involved with was rock crew. Now would you tell the jury what, and for the court reporter's sake, would you spell rock? ROC, C-R-E-W.

Thank you. And what does rock stand for? Raised on Cleveland. Now, were you the only member? member of rock crew or were there other members of rock crew besides yourself? Yes. Yes, there were other members? Yes.

By the way, Stevens, Young Thug and others, they grew up on Cleveland Avenue in Atlanta, which reporting indicates had been a place of crime and violence. But Stevens explained that while rock crew members may have committed crimes, YSL was created to move in a more positive direction away from a life of crime. It was going through like a phase with the whole rock crew game. ordeal and decided that wasn't the approach we wanted to take anymore. So the rock crew game was known for like committing crimes and like being a game. We was trying to take a different approach.

We had a passion for music. We often listen to music, love music. So we say, hey, we're going to change the narrative and try to do something positive by create a music organization. A music organization. Hey, by the way, I think it's pretty clear from watching Sidebar, as I know you do, every single day, right? Sometimes twice a day, five days a week. We never miss a show.

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So to start your claim now with Morgan and Morgan, go to for the people.com slash sidebar or click the link in the description and pinned in the comments. All right, let's get back into this. Stevens' testimony took several interesting turns. At one point, Prosecutor Adrian Love brought up the idea of snitching, and Stevens didn't really seem to know what she was talking about. What does snitching mean to you? It doesn't mean anything to me.

but I'm aware of the term that you, yeah, I'm aware. What is the meaning of the term? It doesn't mean anything to me, but I'm aware of the term. How are you aware of the term? I've heard the time. How do you understand the term to do you? Um, I'm not aware of the time to be used.

Um, yeah, indicating that, A person is a law enforcement or something. Indicating that a person is law enforcement or some nature. So are you able to use snitching in a sentence? Yes. Please use it the way you understand it to be properly used in a sentence. I heard someone is a snitch. And please explain how in that,

sentence snitch refers to law enforcement okay why did you use it that way I mean I've seen movies and that's the direction that the movie was going in maybe even used the term maybe even got it from my movies yes and the way you understand the term is a good thing or a bad thing to be known as a snitch? I really don't fully understand the term. So is Stevens being evasive, intentionally aloof, almost, or does he really not get it? Well, the prosecutor eventually moved on from this line of questioning.

And the following week, Stevens was brought back on the stand for more direct examination from the prosecution, and the prosecutor asked him to name the members of YSL that were in the room. Last week, when I asked you whether there were members who were brought through in this courtroom inside of yourself, you said that there were none. You remember that? Yes. Let me ask you this. Which of these defendants in this courtroom right now are members of Blacksdale Young's slime like the game?

All of them. And by all of them, would you please call them by name? Quay, Rod. Alderquay, Thug, S.B., and Yac. You said Thug, so you do call Jeffrey Williams' Thub and Yac. Is that Diomonte Kendrick? Yes. S.B. Is that Shannon Sewell?

Yes. The two quays. Is that Marquadius Cuey and Comarbius Nipples? Yes. No Rod. Is that Rodelius Ryan? Yes. Now, with the telling on your friends to a jury make you a rat,

I don't know. You don't know? No. Why don't you know? I don't feel like telling the truth should make you a good or bad person. Prosecutor Love also brought Stevens back to some of the overt acts listed in the RICO indictment. Again, steps in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy. What things, what crimes have you committed to increase the notoriety, street credibility, and reputation of YSL?

So I sold drugs and carried around illegal firearms. How did those things increase the notoriety, street credibility, and reputation of young's line line? I don't know if it actually increased, but my approach was to make it known that YSEL was setting drugs and willing to protect the setting their drugs with the file on. How did YSL protect their territory at 151 Cleveland Avenue? I never said about protection. Okay. Was the gas station at 151 Cleveland Avenue a location where YSEL Associates Cell Drug? Yes, I saw, that's why I sold my drugs with.

And was 221 Cleveland Avenue a location for a Young Slime Life Associates Soul Drug? So that Lenton store is like five minutes from each other. I often walk back and forth. Some say I had down there, some says I had up the street. How then were you able to successful sell drugs? I never said I was successful. Prosecutors in this case allege that young slime life, YSL, was part of the Bloods organization,

which has been tied to some of the most violent crimes in the country. But Thug's attorney, defense attorney, Brian Steele, says that the prosecution's so-called proof. of Blood's affiliation, like certain clothing colors and gang signs, they're just part of the music culture. And to help prove his case, Steele asked Stevens about another rapper, Wayne Carter, known professionally as Lil Wayne. Now, on this picture, Mr. Williams number 31, do you notice any tattooing of the face

of Little Wayne? Yes. Okay. And do you have tattoos on your face? Yes. And does Mr. Williams? or Jeffrey? Yes.

All right. Now I'd like to specifically talk if you don't mind about the neckline of Lil Wayne. You see it in Mr. Williams number 31. Can you identify or see whether this is correct? Do you see some stars around the neckline? Yes. And how many stars do you count? Fine.

And how many points are on the stars? Fine. And what color are the stars? And there may be multiple colors. You can name them all if you want. So what's a predominant color if you think there is one predominant? Right. All right.

Now, this gentleman is an entertainer. Is that fair to say? Yes. And by entertainer, he does movies, right? Yes. He does social appearances like you went to to go see him at, he wasn't performed, but he's just appearing at a club, right? Yes.

He does clearly music, fair to say. Yes. And he's one of the icons of music. Is that fair to say? Yes. And he's been like that since he's been a child. Is that true? Yes. And he's still like that today. Yes. When he has these stars around his neck, he also sings in some songs about gangs. Is that true?

Yeah, neighborhood is still. Yeah. And that goes to entertainment as well, right? Yes. And his videos show things like red hats, five-point stars. He sings about that. He shows it, right? Yeah. It's entertainment, right?

Objection, Your Honor. Speculation. I sustained objections. Is it entertainment to you? Your objection to relevance and speculation as to the meeting was significant or... I sustain injection, Mr. Schia. Do you know whether Will Wayne has ever won awards for his music and entertainment? Objection, relevance.

That's the same objection. Do you tell the ladies and gentlemen jury if it's part of, in your viewpoint, the American culture, this type of songs about gangs, five-point stars, etc. Objection, relevance, speculation. It's this foundation. You can start to see where Steele is going with this, right? The lyrics, the tattoos, the clothing. This doesn't mean your...

you're a criminal or a gang member, prosecution is pushing back pretty hard. Now, Steele then moves away from just rap artists suggesting other celebrities, sometimes use gang terminology or signs. Do you know other artists? And we can say actors and sports, professional sports people who show gang signs. What do you know to be gang signs? They do know. Yeah.

I'm sorry, I cut you off. You said they do movement with their hands, right? Yeah. Okay. And have you seen sports figures, professional sports figures? Basketball, football, baseball. Have you seen them go like this with wiping their nose? Yes.

On national TV. Yeah. Have you seen at the Super Bowl performers playing and doing Cs for the Crips? An objection. Have you seen tennis players? Do you know who Serena Williams is? Yes. Have you seen her at Wimbledon doing what's called a Crip Walk?

Do you know what a Crip Walk is, first of all? I don't watch tennis. Okay. Is gang culture promoted via entertainment? Yes. You ever hear of the expression of studio gangster? Yes. Tell the ladies and gentlemen and jury what that means.

Somebody who's rapping about, we're in the studio, talking about Genesis, so. And that's for entertainment, right? It's for promotion. Yeah. Yeah. Does he know who LeBron James is? Yes.

Who is television, Jim and Jerry, who LeBron James is. NBA player? Okay. And have you seen him do the wiping of the nose and say slime? No. We talked about LeBron James. Have you seen him? promote and advertise going around to his teammates and doing the wiping of the nose and saying slime.

Have you seen that? Yeah, I sustain the objection. Have you seen LeBron James do a video, but out of video, wiping nose saying slime to his teammates? I'm saying LeBron James, he got a different handshake for each clue. Yeah. So describe Yeah, I'll stand the objection. Describe what you remember seeing LeBron James doing

when you say he has a different handshake for your point. And objection is the relevance. It'll be relevant in a minute. I will tie it up in a moment. All right, can you answer the question, Mr. Stevens? Yes. All right, go ahead. What do you remember LeBron James doing

with each individual teammate that you described? And tell the jury. We can do a lot of stuff. I do a lot of stuff. Did one of them include wiping nose saying slime? If you remember, if you don't remember, it's okay, Mr. Stevens. And the bar may I do it. Okay.

Well, after a sidebar at the bench, Judge Glanville announced that that is where things would stop for the day. Trontavia Stevens will be back on the stand Monday, January 22nd, and that is all we have for you right now. Thanks so much for watching us here at Sidebar, everybody. We so greatly appreciate it. Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jesse Weber. Let's speak to you next time. You can binge all episodes of this long crime series.

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