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Fani Willis' YSL RICO case update as trial gets delayed
The trial for three codefendants indicted on racketeering and other charges alongside rapper Young Thug was delayed until June.
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Jenna Sundel is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on breaking news. She has in-depth knowledge of crime and courts. Jenna joined Newsweek in 2024. She previously worked at The Messenger. She is a graduate of Montclair State University. You can find her on X @jennajournalist. You can get in touch with Jenna by emailing j.sundel@newsweek.com. Languages: English.
Writers PageReporter (Live News)
The trial for three codefendants indicted on racketeering and other charges alongside rapper Young Thug was delayed until June on Friday.
Why It MattersFulton County District Attorney Fani Willis indicted Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, and 27 others in 2022 for alleged violations of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and additional criminal activity.
Fani Willis, District Attorney of Fulton County speaks to the Associated Press on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Atlanta. Fani Willis, District Attorney of Fulton County speaks to the Associated Press on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Brynn AndersonSeveral defendants accepted plea deals to avoid going to trial. The trial for Williams and five codefendants began in November 2023 and concluded in December 2024. Williams and three others accepted plea deals during the trial.
Deamonte Kendrick was found not guilty on all counts, while Shannon Stillwell was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Damekion Garlington, Demise McMullen and Christian Eppinger are the only remaining codefendants who have not been tried yet.
What To KnowJury selection for the trial of the three codefendants was scheduled to start in March, but it was delayed until June due to a scheduling conflict involving a defense attorney.
McMullen's attorney, Terrell Dark, filed a motion to withdraw from the case. Dark is McMullen's fourth attorney.
In the filing, Dark said he alerted the court of the circumstances surrounding his request.
During a pre-trial conference on Friday, Judge Paige Resse Whitaker said she "takes issue with that representation."
"You told me at the bench the last time we were in court that you had a court date in April that you needed to be at, and you told me the reason why. And I said that we would not have court those days, that I would excuse you to be at that court appearance," Whitaker said. "And that is all that you said to me."
Whitaker said Dark notified the court that he is currently dealing with a custody case, but his motion to withdraw cites "a mental condition" that makes him "unfit to represent anybody."
Dark later recommended that the state hold a separate trial for McMullen in June. He offered to rescind his motion to withdraw if the delay was granted.
The prosecution said it wants to continue with the original plan to try all three codefendants together.
The parties discussed moving jury selection to June 9, with the trial starting sometime after the Fourth of July.
What People Are SayingWhitaker, at a pre-trial conference: "This morning, at what is supposed to be the second pre-trial conference, should not be the first time that you say to the court, 'You know what, I'm not in a state to be able to do this.'"
What Happens NextDuring jury selection, Whitaker is planning to call over 400 potential jurors in an effort to avoid delays in the selection process. Jury selection lasted 10 months during the first YSL trial.
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