The judge presiding over the racketeering trial against Atlanta rapper Young Thug has been removed from the case. Lawyers for Young Thug and co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick sought the recusal of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville over allegations of misconduct, claiming he held an improper private meeting with prosecutors and a key witness on June 10.
While Judge Rachel Krause did not find fault with the meeting itself, she reassigned the case to Judge Shukura Ingram to preserve public confidence in the judicial system.
Despite Judge Glanville’s assertion that the meeting was proper and did not provide any tactical advantage, Krause acknowledged that it should have occurred in open court.
This decision has introduced further delays in Young Thug’s trial, which has been slow-moving since his arrest in May 2022. Jury selection alone took nearly ten months, with testimony from numerous witnesses.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, faces charges of co-founding a violent street gang in Atlanta, along with racketeering, gang, drug, and gun crimes.
Prosecutors used the Rico Act, typically employed in mafia prosecutions, to charge him and 27 associates.Following the recusal, Deamonte Kendrick’s lawyer indicated they might request a mistrial.
Brian Steel, representing Young Thug, maintained his client’s innocence and emphasized the need for a fair trial to clear his name.
