Trontavious Stephens, a member of YSL and prosecutorial witness, took the stand for two days of testimony in the YSL RICO trial in Atlanta. A “hostile witness,” Trontavious told the court he did not want to be there and that the hearing interrupted his new job driving trucks. Throughout the testimony, which began the afternoon of Jan 3rd and continued throughout January 4th, Trontavious responded to a barrage of redundant questions by State prosecutor Adriane Love.
Trontavious Stephens “Can’t Recall” Names of Gang Members
Judge Glanville presided over the jury trial, fielding objections by defense witnesses for the six co-defendants including Jeffrey “Young Thug” Williams and Shannon Stilwell who is still recovering from a jailhouse stabbing on Dec 11th.
Fulton County Deputy DA Adriane Love began by asking Stephens about his upbringing on Cleveland Avenue and his gang affiliations. He admitted to being a member of The ROC Crew, which he asserted was a collective of young men whose affiliation was solely based upon the fact that they were all “raised on Cleveland Ave.” Love attempted to have Stephens name those persons who were members of the crew, to which Stephens said was “everyone” from the community who grew up there. Appearing bewildered by Love’s continual questioning, he stated anyone “raised on the street” would be considered a member and attempted to remember the names of his next-door neighbors.
Stephens was interrogated by Love continually for several hours during which time the 30-year-old repeatedly stated he didn’t remember many of the details of the activities of The Roc Crew, politely telling the relentless prosecutor, “It was 10-15 years ago, ma’am.” Throughout the two hours of testimony, Stephens, also known as “Tick,” appeared parched and sipped from a water bottle between objections from defense attorneys who complained that Love’s questions lacked relevance or were repetitive.
Prosecutor Presses Trontavious Stephens About YSL Blood Affiliation
Love’s questioning of Stephens resumed on the morning of January 4th with the discussion of the origins of YSL and its affiliations with the “national Blood Gang.” Stephens admitted to being a member of the YSL after he had been introduced to gang lifestyle “while in juvenile detention.” Love then proceeded to ask Stephens to identify attributes of the blood gang including identifying hand gestures and defining what it meant to be “jumped in” or initiated by beating into the gang. Stephens admitted he had never been “jumped in” and was therefore not a real member of the gang though he bore tattoos and claimed the “Sex Money Murder” blood set.
The questioning continued with state prosecutor pummeling Stephens tediously about the night of his birthday in 2015 when he went club hopping. This was the same night that Lil Wayne’s tour bus was shot up after a performance at the Atlanta club, The Compound. YSL member, Jimmy Winfrey, a.k.a. PeeWee Roscoe, was arrested and charged in the crime but the conviction was later overturned.
Stephens shared that he, Roscoe, and other members of YSL were out ”drinking, smoking and vibing” to celebrate and hit The Compound, among other clubs that night. Love pressed Stephens to detail what was discussed in the rented black Mercedes on the 30-minute drive to the venue, to which Stephens said “I don’t recall.” Love asked him why he didn’t remember what was discussed, which Stephens said was because the events were “over 10 years ago.”
Stephens was then asked about his criminal behavior as a member of YSL, the gang. She asked him what colors were associated with YSL, to which he said “all colors.” Love then questioned Trontavious about the meaning of the term “snitching.” “It doesn’t mean anything to me,” he responded, “but I’m aware of the term” citing references in movies and pop culture.
Watch as Trontavious eludes answering the prosecutor’s question, “What is Snitching?”
Updated by Felicia Palmer on January 5th, 2024.
YSL RICO Trial Day 13: Trontavius Stephens Testifies & Young Thug’s New Clothing Line
Day 13 of the YSL RICO Trial brought forth shocking revelations as Young Thug appeared in court, alongside Trontavius Stephens also known as “Slug,” who took the stand.
YSL RICO Trial Day 13
In a significant development, the YSL RICO Trial resumed on Day 13 after the holiday break, with Young Thug present in court.
The trial had been halted due to the stabbing of Thug’s co-defendant, Shannon Stillwell, while in jail. Stillwell miraculously survived four stab wounds and had been recovering in the hospital over the holidays.
Another notable event in the trial was the dismissal of an incident involving Young Thug and mall security at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta, where an ex-employee was called to testify on Day 12, as he alleged that Young Thug had “threatened to shoot him in the face.” The incident was deemed lacking corroboration and was consequently dropped from the proceedings.
According to Infamous Sylvia, explained that the incident took place in DeKalb County and a third witness was questioned. Witness #3 was revealed to be another officer, who he claimed to have “no knowledge” of the incident.
ROC Crew
During recent court proceedings, Trontavius Stephens, also known as Slug, provided a morning testimony regarding his affiliation with the ROC Crew, a local group from Cleveland Avenue in Atlanta. In questioning, Stephens was “elusive” and refrained from admitting any affiliation with YSL, despite admitting to being associated with the ROC Crew.
Furthermore, State Prosecutor Love inquired of Stephens about the leadership within the ROC Crew, aiming to characterize the group as a criminal enterprise. In response, Stephens asserted:
“There was no leader of the ROC Crew. No one told me what to do.”
Stephens had previously taken a plea agreement and agreed to repeat specific statements on the stand. His testimony shed light on the intricacies of gang affiliations, but he did not provide names that were relevant to the current RICO Trial case.
‘Act Normal’
As the trial continues, Young Thug, facing his legal battles, has taken the opportunity to launch a clothing line called Act Normal.
Despite being behind bars, the rapper’s new venture has been teased on the brand’s Instagram account, displaying a logo accompanied by the message “Be the reason the world changes.” With an upcoming announcement on their website, fans eagerly await the official launch of Young Thug’s clothing line.
Updated By: Yasmine Duhé (1/3/23 at 5:45 pm)
YSL RICO Trial Day 12: Young Thug’s Attorney Exposes Inconsistencies in Mall Cop Testimony
As week 4 of the YSL RICO Trial commenced, it took an unexpected turn as Young Thug’s attorney, revealed discrepancies in the testimony of a mall security guard who claimed that the rapper had threatened to “shoot him in the face.” The witness faced scrutiny as he failed to recall key details and denied writing a statement that bore his allegedly forged signature.
Witness #1 Speaks
During the cross-examination in the YSL RICO trial, Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel revealed discrepancies in the testimony of a mall security guard who claimed that the Atlanta rapper had threatened to “shoot him in the face.
These revelations bring into question the credibility of the security guard’s account and shed doubts on the validity of the charges against Young Thug. The witness, known as Witness #1, an ex-employee of Velour Security Services, was called to testify about an incident at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta involving Young Thug and mall security.
He explained the mall’s hoverboard policy to two members of Thug’s entourage, emphasizing that they should not ride the hoverboards inside. Despite a conversation with his supervisor, the entourage continued to ride the hoverboards. Witness #1 escorted them outside the mall without any hostile encounters. However, he disputed the authenticity of a statement bearing his signature, adding to the mounting doubts surrounding the incident.
The White Jaguar
During the cross-examination by Attorney Steele, Witness #1’s testimony crumbled further. He clarified that the incident report was typed, not handwritten, and outlined the men’s refusal to comply with the security guards’ requests without displaying any rudeness or disrespect.
Notably, Witness #1 denied identifying anyone who had threatened his supervisor, casting doubt on the key allegation leveled against Young Thug.
The trial continued with Witness #2, a retired police officer, who responded to the threat call made by Witness #1’s supervisor. Attorney Steele focused on the events that transpired when Young Thug and his entourage were outside in a white Jaguar.
Terroristic Threats
Witness #2’s testimony did not corroborate the alleged threat made toward Witness #1’s supervisor, further undermining the prosecution’s case.
A discrepancy in the officer narrative report added to the confusion, with different versions listing different offenses. The third witness, Mr. Lennihan, a police sergeant, took the stand and confirmed that he investigated the “terroristic threats” allegedly made by Young Thug at the mall on July 7, 2015.
However, his testimony did not provide any substantial evidence linking Young Thug to the alleged threats. The inconsistencies in the witnesses’ accounts presented by Young Thug’s attorney raised significant doubts about the prosecution’s version of events.
YNW Melly Trial Postponed
In a separate legal development, YNW Melly’s retrial in a double murder case has been postponed to February 2024, following a request from prosecutors for more time to prepare. Broward Circuit Court Judge John Murphy granted the state an additional three weeks, rescheduling the opening arguments.
Originally Written By: Felicia Palmer (1/2/23 at 2:45 pm)
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