close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

    • Young Thug accepts plea deal and admits guilt in RICO trial
    news

    Young Thug accepts plea deal and admits guilt in RICO trial

    Vaseline Posted on

    The rapper was arrested in May 2022 as part of a sweeping investigation into a conspiracy to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

    play

    Young Thug is coming home.

    The rapper, who has been on trial for racketeering since November last year, pleaded guilty in the long-running case on Thursday, but avoided a prison sentence with probation.

    The Atlanta-born rap star (real name: Jeffery Lamar Williams) changed his plea to guilty in a Georgia court after a brief pause. “Is it your decision to waive these rights and enter a plea of ​​guilty because you are actually guilty?” Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love asked Young Thug, to which he replied, “Yes.”

    Before the plea change, Whitaker asked if the rapper would agree to a non-negotiated plea, meaning prosecutors and the defense could not agree on a sentencing deal and the judge will decide his sentence, according to NBC News.

    Young Thug was given a commuted prison sentence of 40 years by the judge, for which the rapper should have served five years in prison. The sentence was adjusted to take into account the time previously served. He was also placed on probation for fifteen years, along with twenty years of back-to-back time, a sentence that will be served if Young Thug does not complete his probation.

    Prior to his final sentencing, Young Thug faced a maximum prison sentence of 120 years. Prosecutors sought a 45-year prison sentence, with 25 years in prison and 20 years on probation.

    USA TODAY has reached out to Young Thug representatives for comment.

    Young Thug must perform community service and give anti-gang presentations

    As part of his probation, Young Thug is prohibited from visiting the metro Atlanta area for the first ten years of the probation, except for special occasions with his immediate family.

    The rapper also retains his passport for domestic and international business trips.

    In addition, he was sentenced to 100 hours of community service per year during his probation. The rapper will have to return to Atlanta to give four community presentations a year that focus on anti-gang and anti-gun violence messages.

    Young criminal: The trial against Rapper resumes after two months with Lil Woody’s testimony

    Young Thug’s legal reversal comes after co-defendants Quamarvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan and Marquavius ​​Huey each pleaded guilty this week, according to Rolling Stone. Nichols was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Ryan and Huey were sentenced to 10 and 25 years respectively.

    Co-defendants Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell are still on trial, according to Rolling Stone, with both men charged in the 2015 murder of Donovan Thomas.

    The rapper’s trial, the longest in Georgia history, resumed on August 12 after a nearly two-month hiatus and a rotating jury. Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland, former Young Thug associate and key witness for prosecutors, spent several hours on the witness stand.

    Copeland reportedly admitted in interviews with police that he blamed Young Thug.

    “In my mind, I knew the police would never bother him,” he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was easy for me to shift the blame to him and get them off my back.”

    Young Thug says he has ‘a good heart’ after guilty plea

    Prior to his sentencing, Young Thug apologized to the court and his loved ones for the time spent on his lengthy trial, saying he takes “full responsibility for my crimes.”

    “I’m a smart guy. I’m a good guy. I really have a good heart,” Young Thug said. “I get into a lot of things because I was just nice or cool. And I understand that that can’t be the case when you reach a certain height because it can end badly.”

    The “Oh U Went” host also took a moment to thank the judge.

    “Over the last two and a half years of my life, you have really, honestly, been the best thing that happened to me because you made everything fairer for me and everyone involved,” Young Thug told Whitaker.

    Judge in Young Thug case deemed mistrial ahead of rapper’s guilty plea

    A week before Young Thug changed his plea in his RICO trial, Judge Whitaker considered declaring a mistrial after a witness revealed sensitive information to the jury, according to Fox 5 Atlanta and Billboard.

    During the Oct. 23 hearing, rapper Slimelife Shawty — one of the case’s original 28 defendants — was asked by prosecutors to review social media posts to identify other co-conspirators. Shawty read the caption “FREE QUA,” which revealed details about which defendants were incarcerated (both Nichols and Huey use the alias “Qua.”)

    “Now the jury has heard repeatedly that Mr. Nichols is in jail, that he is in jail, and we cannot unring that bell, so we will ask for a mistrial,” said Nicole Westmoreland, one of the attorneys for Nichols, at the time. , according to Vos 5.

    In response, Judge Whitaker reportedly said that a mistrial with prejudice, a ruling that would have barred the state of Georgia from rehearing the case, was not on the table. But Whitaker added that a mistrial without prejudice, which would allow for a new trial, was a possibility.

    Mariah The Scientist, more reactions to Young Thug’s release

    Singer Mariah The Scientist responded to the news of her boyfriend Young Thug’s release on her Instagram stories, writing, “Thank you God!”

    She then reposted a photo of her and the rapper and a story from a friend, who wrote: “I commend @mariahthescientist for loving her so much! She is the only person who made sure he talked to his kids every day during this whole process! thankful for you.” The singer replied, “This is what we’ve been praying for.”

    Other stars reacted to the news, including Travis Scott, who wrote in an Instagram story, “My brudda otw home,” and TI, who wrote on X, “Welcome home lil bruddah.” It’s been too long… Time to get back to it! !!”

    Why was Young Thug on trial?

    On May 9, 2022, Young Thug was arrested as part of a sweeping investigation into a conspiracy to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO. He was accused of co-founding a violent criminal street gang, Young Slime Life, and after two indictments in May and August 2022, he faced racketeering, drug and weapons charges.

    Jury selection began in January 2023 and the trial against the Grammy-winning rapper began ten months later. The case has suffered multiple delays since November 2023.

    Young Thug lawsuit: The second judge will be removed from the RICO case within three days

    Whitaker took over the case after Chief Justice Ural Glanville was ousted in July and Supreme Court Justice Shakura L. Ingram protested several days later.

    Young Thug initially pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. Several of the first 28 defendants, including rapper Gunna, have taken plea deals since they were indicted in 2022.

    This story has been updated to add new information.

    Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

    Vaseline
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like