Young Thug's sprawling Atlanta gang trial needs a new judge once again.
Just two days after Judge Ural Glanville was ordered to recuse himself from the Young Slime Life RICO case, his replacement at the trial – Judge Shakura L. Ingram – said Wednesday that he would also recuse himself.
In doing so, Ingram mentioned her connection to Akeiba Stanley, a deputy of the Fulton County Courthouse who was was arrested last year for allegedly attempting to traffic in contraband to another YSL defendant with whom prosecutors allege Stanley had an “improper relationship.”
Wednesday's discharge order said Stanley had previously been appointed as a deputy in Ingram's courtroom.
“Because the former appointed deputy of this court could be called as a witness in any future proceedings in this case, the court may be called upon to assess the credibility of this MP or rule on matters related to her criminal prosecution.” Ingram wrote. “This can undermine public confidence in the impartiality of the proceedings.”
The judge emphasized that she was not actually biased against Stanley, but that she must avoid any “appearance of impropriety” in the proceedings: “The clerk of this court is required to assign this criminal action to another judge.”
It was not immediately clear who would replace Ingram or how her dismissal would affect the YSL case, which has already been pending for more than two years. The trial, which began in January 2023 but has faced numerous delays and interruptions, was already expected to last until 2025. All the while, Young Thug has been in prison, repeatedly refusing bond over concerns he could intimidate witnesses.
Thug (Jeffery Williams) and dozens of others were indicted in May 2022 over allegations that his “YSL” was not actually a record label called “Young Stoner Life,” but rather a violent Atlanta gang called “Young Slime Life”. Citing Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), prosecutors allege the group ran a criminal enterprise that committed murders, carjackings, armed robberies, drug trafficking and other crimes over a decade.
Glanville, the chief justice of Fulton County Superior Court, presided over the massive case from the start. But a month ago, it emerged the judge had taken part in a secret “ex parte” meeting with prosecutors and a key witness. Attorneys for Thug and other defendants argued that Glanville had helped prosecutors coerce the witness into testifying and that the meeting had violated their constitutional rights to a fair trial.
On Monday, Judge Rachel Krause ruled that Glanville must be removed from the case over those allegations. Although Krause defended her fellow lawyer's conduct and said she had “no doubt” that Glanville could handle the case fairly, Krause ordered him to step down for the sake of “maintaining public confidence in the justice system.”
The ruling is likely to further delay the YSL trial, which already had an unprecedented 10-month jury selection process. Prosecutors have been on the witness stand for months, but have listed hundreds of potential witnesses they could call.
When a permanent new judge is installed, he will likely face claims of impropriety from defense attorneys over Glanville's conduct, as well as new requests for Thug and the other defendants to be released on bail pending sentencing.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/pro/young-thug-rico-trial-replacement-judge-recuses-herself/
