Yesterday (November 27), the racketeering trial against Young Thug officially began with the Fulton County District Attorney’s prosecutor delivering their opening statement. Young Thug is charged with violating the Georgia state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and engaging in criminal street gang activity. According to the state, Thug is the leader of a violent street gang, YSL, which has been responsible for dozens of crimes including murder and armed robbery.
However, Thug’s defense attorney, Brian Steel, has argued that the state’s case is flimsy and based on a literal reading of the rapper’s song lyrics with no benefit of the doubt for creative license. According to the New York Times, Steel said, “Despite the unthinkable oppressive, impoverished and cruel conditions of his upbringing, [Thug] has been able to cultivate his creative genius to lawfully and ethically attain phenomenal worldwide success.”
Steel is a veteran defense attorney who runs a firm alongside his wife, Colette, after spending the earliest part of his career as a public defender. Earlier this year, Steel tried unsuccessfully to get Thug granted bond, calling his life in jail “torture.”
So far, Steel has already tried for a mistrial, noting that Assistant DA Adriane Love showed evidence during her opening statements that had already been banned from the case. While Judge Ural Glanville rejected that proposal, he did admonish the prosecutor for including the off-limits material.
If convicted, Young Thug could be sentenced to up to 120 years in prison (although it would likely be much less).
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.