Brian Steel

Young Thug’s Lawyer Sentenced To 20 Days In Jail For Contempt

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Young Thug is facing up to 120 years in prison if convicted on RICO charges. The rapper is believed by the prosecution to be founder and leader of YSL. His lawyer, Brian Steel, has fought tooth and nail to ensure that his client sees the light of day. Steel encountered the wrath of the legal system, however, on June 10. The lawyer confronted the prosecution and the judge over an alleged secret meeting that they had with an alleged Young Thug associate.

Steel took both parties to task over the alleged meeting, as the associate, Kenneth Copeland, is said to be a “star witness” in the case. “If that’s true, what this is is coercion,” Steel said. “[As well as] witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for.” He cited an inside source. He refused, however, to name said source despite the demands of the judge. Young Thug’s lawyer noted that an answer would violate attorney-client protections and “work product” privilege.

Read More: YSL Lil Woody To Give Forced Testimony In Young Thug Trial

Young Thug’s Lawyer Criticized The Judge’s Tactics

 
 
 
 
 
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The judge tried to order an answer out of Steel by giving him an ultimatum. “I’m going to give you five minutes,” he asserted. “If you don’t tell me who it is, I’m going to put you in contempt.” Steel, sticking by his word, responded: “I don’t need five minutes.” The lawyer was allowed to carry out the rest of his case but was taken into custody soon after. Steel will spend 10 weekends in jail. This means 20 consecutive days behind bars. Steel requested to spend these days in jail with Young Thug. If his bail is denied. Some 20 plus lawyers stood outside the courtroom to show their support for Steel.

Brian Steel has been adamant about Young Thug’s innocence since day one. He told 11Alive’s Neima Abdulahi he appalled by the rapper’s legal treatment. “I’ve had the pleasure of defending Williams for approximately a decade. I know his family, I’ve defended him in courtrooms multiple times.” Steel also noted, however, that Young Thug’s musical persona does not reflect his real life. “It’s an act. They are performers. They’re performing all the time. Much like, I guess, professional wrestlers. We don’t even know their real names. They’re performing all the time.”

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Takes Jail Time Over Testifying

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Young Thug’s Lawyer Brian Steel Returns To Court Following Short-Lived Arrest

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Brian Steel has returned to the courtroom after he was taken into custody during the YSL RICO trial, earlier today. Additionally, his wife, Collette Steel, has filed a notice of appeal regarding the court order. At one point, he reportedly accused both Judge Ural Glanville and the state of allegedly attempting to coerce witnesses, according to THUGGERDAILY. Additionally, he claimed to have evidence of this being the case but was taken into custody. Steel was upset about a private conversation that apparently took place between the judge, prosecutors, and one of the state’s star witnesses prior to the court date.

When Glanville asked how Steel learned of the conversation, the attorney refused to answer. In turn, the judge placed him in contempt of court. “You got some information you shouldn’t have gotten,” Glanville argued, as caught by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Steel fired back: “You’re not supposed to have communication with a witness who’s been sworn.” The witness in question is Kenneth Copeland, who just spent a weekend in jail after reneging on his decision to testify in the trial. He previously agreed on an immunity deal that relies on his decision to take the stand.

Read More: Young Thug’s Lawyer Brian Steel Taken Into Custody After Accusing Judge And The State Of Coercing Witnesses

Brian Steel Arrives At Court

Brian Steel, attorney for rapper Young Thug, arrives at the Fulton County Courthouse on November 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Opening statements are set to begin in the case against 31-year-old US rapper Young Thug and 28 others, who are facing a racketeering indictment accusing the defendants of a number of offenses that support an overarching conspiracy charge, including murder, assault, carjacking, drug dealing, and theft. (Photo by Christian Monterrosa / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)

“How about the witness, how about Mr. Copeland, who supposedly announced that he’s not testifying and he’ll sit for two years and, supposedly this honorable court, or let me rephrase that, this court, said I can hold you until the end of this trial,” Steel asked. From there, he became more heated, arguing: “If that’s true what this is is coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for.”

Brian Steel Returns To The Courtroom

“I still want to know, how did you come upon this information,” Glanville reiterated. “Who told you?” He later added: “You don’t get to extort the court. It doesn’t work that way.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Brian Steel and Young Thug on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Prosecutors Reveal Whether Or Not YFN Lucci Will Testify

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Young Thug’s Lawyer Brian Steel Was Taken Into Custody After Being Held In Contempt In The YSL RICO Trial

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So far, to call the ongoing racketeering trial against Young Thug in Atlanta “a farce” would be doing a disservice to the theatrical form. It’s been nothing short of a circus, but apparently, the ringleader, Judge Ural Glanville, had yet another trick up his sleeve as the clown-show degenerated into a slog.

According to multiple sources via the trial’s livestream, Young Thug’s defense attorney, Brian Steel, was taken into custody today after being held in contempt of court by Glanville after he confronted the judge about an in-chambers ex-parte meeting (meaning all concerned parties were not presen) between Glanville and one of the other defendants, Kenneth “Woody” Copeland, after Woody was previously reticent to cooperate. After the meeting, he agreed to testify.

After refusing to tell Glanville how he learned of said meeting, and stopping just short of accusing him of witness coersion, Steel was removed from the courtroom. His second, Keith Adams, asked for a mistrial, noting that Thug — whose real name is Jeffery Williams — does not want to continue the trial without Steel.

Contempt of Court refers to the willful disobedience of a court order or some other conduct that disrupts or disrespects a court proceeding. A judge may impose sanctions such as fines or jail time on a person found in contempt.

Young Thug’s Latest Attempt To Have RICO Case Thrown Out Is Denied

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Judge Ural Glanville in Georgia has denied Young Thug’s motion to have his RICO case thrown out. The rapper’s attorney, Brian Steel, argued that the grand jury failed to properly accuse Young Thug of knowingly committing the allegations in the original indictment.

“Mr. Williams is innocent of all charges in the above-referenced indictment,” Steel wrote in the motion. “The grand jury wrongfully re-indicted Mr. Williams in the above-reference case on or about October 5, 2022 in count one – conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act; count 56 and 57 – participation in criminal street gang activity; counts 58, 59 and 60 – violation of Georgia Controlled Substances Act; count 61 – possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; and count 62 – possession of a machine gun.”

Read More: Young Thug Court Photo Has Fans Thinking He Put On Weight

Young Thug Performs At Rolling Loud

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – OCTOBER 22: Rapper Young Thug performs during the Rolling. Loud Festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre on October 22, 2017 in Mountain View, California. (Photo by C Flanigan/Getty Images)

Glanville disagreed with Steel’s argument, instead suggesting that the language used was sufficient. “I find that the state’s indictment tracks the language of the statute and is sufficient therein for counts one, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60, 61 and 62 as it pertains to the state versus Mr. Jeffery Williams,” the judge said. “For those reasons, the court is going to deny the defendant’s plea and bar motion to dismiss general demurrer.”

In the end, Glanville noted that Thug could still appeal his initial ruling, but that it “won’t stop the trial of this matter.” The decision comes as opening statements are scheduled to begin on November 27. While Thug waits behind bars, his partner, Mariah The Scientist, recently revealed that the two intend to get married when he’s a free man. During a recent interview, she added that she thinks about what life will be like once Thug gets out “all day long.” “I feel like being imaginative can help every human being on earth not lose your mind. It is like a little slight state of delusion,” she said. Be on the lookout for further updates on Young Thug’s case on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Mariah The Scientist Says She & Young Thug Will Get Married After He Gets Out Of Prison 

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Young Thug’s RICO Case: Prosecutors Have Surprisingly Long List Of Witnesses

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The long-awaited YSL RICO trial is scheduled to begin on November 27, and so far, it looks like prosecutors plan to call on quite a few witnesses. Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel appeared in court today (November 16), requesting that Judge Ural Glanville exclude more than 300 of them at the upcoming trial. Prosecutors then confirmed that there are a whopping 737 of them in total.

Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love defended the long list of potential witnesses. She claimed that they’re necessary in depicting the “pattern” of alleged racketeering. “It would be different if it were just one murder or just one aggravated assault or just one burglary on the indictment, your honor,” she explained. “But there is—there are lists of acts that we seek to show, to introduce as evidence to show the pattern of racketeering activity that they conspired to commit.”

Read More: Young Thug’s Lawyer Upsets Judge With “Farce” Comment

Prosecutors Have 737 Witnesses

Hip-hop artist Young Thug arrives at a release party for his new album “PUNK” at Delilah on October 12, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

The news also follows the judge’s decision to allow lyrics to be used against members of YSL in court. Steel pushed for them not to be permitted to no avail. “Your honor, someone can look at that indictment and say one thing’s for sure: that’s not fantasy,” prosecutor Mike Carlson said in court. “People are dead and murdered and a gang exists.” Soon after the judge made his decision, prosecutors called attention to lyrics from Young Thug’s Juice WRLD collab, “Bad Boy.” They accused him of bragging about shooting at YFN Lucci’s mother in the track. “I shot at his mommy, now he no longer mention me,” the lyrics read.

While it’s been speculated that the lyrics reference YFN Lucci, there hasn’t been any official confirmation. Young Thug has remained behind bars since May of 2022. He is also now one of only six remaining defendants awaiting trial. What do you think of prosecutors’ long list of witnesses in Young Thug’s RICO case? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Young Thug Co-Defendant Yak Gotti Compares Lyrics To Jack Nicholson’s “The Shining”

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Young Thug Asks Judge To Suppress Involuntary Interrogation In RICO Case

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As the YSL RICO trial nears closer, it seems Young Thug and his attorney Brian Steel are getting their affairs in order in hopes of getting the rapper his freedom back.

Though he was denied bond and is due to remain behind bars until January of 2023, the “Day Before” artist is said to be in good spirits, even somehow managing to show love to his rumoured girlfriend Mariah The Scientist and the late PnB Rock on his Twitter feed.

According to AllHipHop, the latest update from Thugger’s case reveals that he’s filed a motion requesting that the overseeing judge rule to suppress some statements he made while in police custody during an involuntary interrogation.

The Atlanta native’s lawyer has issued claims that two law enforcement officers interrogated his client in the Dekalb County Jail despite him never having waived his Miranda rights. According to Steel, Cobb County Investigator David Raissi and ATF Special Agent T. Cunningham placed the rapper in an interrogation room without his legal counsel’s permission, knowledge, or consent.

“All of [Young Thug’s] statements must be suppressed from the trial in the above-referenced case, and all witnesses must be instructed not to utter the fact that [Young Thug] made any statements which were not voluntarily made, were made in violation of his Constitutional right to counsel and made in violation of Miranda warning,” the filing declares.

In this handout photo provided by the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office, rapper Jeffery Lamar Williams, aka Young Thug, is seen in a police booking photo after turning himself in for outstanding drug and firearm charges September 13, 2018 in Decatur, Georgia. The charges stem from a traffic stop last year where police allegedly found drugs and a gun. (Photo by DeKalb County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images)

“Additionally, no mention can be made that [Young Thug] was given the opportunity to speak with law enforcement since this is post-arrest.”

At the same time, it’s been noted that the 31-year-old has requested that the judge return computers and phones that were seized from his Sandy Springs, Georgia home in July of 2015 when he was handed felony charges.

Thug allegedly threatened a security guard at a mall prior to the incident, leading authorities to raid his house and uncover an assortment of drugs and guns. Ultimately, though, the charges were tossed when a trial ruled that the search was unconstitutional.

The devices taken were suppressed by written order in April of 2017 and intended to be returned to the YSL leader, but he never saw them again. They instead ended up being sent to a company called Cellebrite by Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Sprinkel to be searched.

Steel has pointed out that there was no valid search warrant allowing this after the 2017 ruling, and that searching them in May of that year was a violation of Thugger’s “possessory interests in his lawfully obtained property that the prosecution had absolutely no legal right to possess.”

Ultimately, the end goal of this filing is for Judge Ural Glanville to suppress any statement Thug made during the aforementioned interrogation, as well as any evidence that may have come from his phones, hard drives, and computers.

See the legal documents for yourself here, and tap back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.

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