Young Thug scored a small win on Thursday as his lawyers prepare for his upcoming YSL Rico trial starting January 2023.
The rapper had a lengthy pre-trial hearing which started out with an unintended surprise on zoom as a video showing two naked men was leaked on the court zoom, which blared a “Free Young Thug” sign.
There are reports that the zoom meeting was hacked and that Young Thug was one of the men shaking his private part.
The hearing went on, nevertheless, with one of the officers from Dekalb County testifying in an inquiry regarding the admission of the evidence.
However, Judge Ural Glanville ruled that the evidence from 2015 was procured without a search warrant, making it inadmissible by prosecutors.
On video, Young Thug offered a meek smile but appeared well. This is the first time the rapper is seen since reports surfaced that fellow rapper Gunna and YSL co-founder Walter Murphy both entered plea deals with the District Attorney and were released without jail time.
Despite the win, Thug remains behind bars.
During the pre-trial hearing on Thursday, Young Thug’s attorney moved for the court to exclude as evidence data from cell phones belonging to Thug and other defendants that were seized by police officers during a search of the rapper’s home in 2015.
Judge Glanville sided with Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel despite officers taking the stand to testify that the rapper was read his Miranda rights, among other things.
“You didn’t have the right to keep that,” Judge Glanville said before adding, “You didn’t have the right to keep that particular evidence.”
Young Thug’s attorneys also bid for the rapper’s music lyrics to be excluded noting that they were being targeted because they were black and rappers.
In the meantime, there is much speculation on the current status of Thug’s trial, given Gunna and Murphy’s plea deal.
Gunna, who was facing a charge of conspiracy to violate the RICO act, took an Alford plea that maintained his innocence but agreeing to plea guilty paving the way for him to walk free. The “Pushin P” rapper was sentenced to five years, with four years suspended, and the remainder commuted for time served and additional conditions like doing 500 hours of community service.
In the meantime, Gunna has denied that he “snitched” on the rapper, but in videos of his court hearing a day before, the rapper answers in the affirmative when asked if he had knowledge that YSL is a gang.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” part of his statement read.
Thug and 25 others are still on the hook for allegations that they were part of a gang connected to the Bloods gang. Prosecutors allege that the men are responsible for dozens of crimes in Fulton county from 2012, when the YSL collective was first formed to present. These include murder, shootings, robberies, and crimes involving drugs and guns.
In the meantime, Gunn’s lawyer, Steve Sadow, responded to the criticisms online, noting that while the rapper agreed as part of the conditions of his release to testify if called upon, Gunna “reserves his right to assert his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.”
As for Thug’s YSL co-founder, he too pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate the RICO act.
Part of his condition is to also testify if called upon. Unlike Gunna, he had a lighter sentence- nine years of probation and one year in prison.
As for Young Thug, the rapper returns to court for the continuation of his pre-trial hearing on December 19.
