Judge presiding over Young Thug YSL trial removed from the case

The judge presiding over the sweeping RICO indictment against Atlanta rapper Young Thug and his associates has been removed from the case.

A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ordered that Judge Ural Glanville be excused from further handling the case.

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Judge Rachel Krause said in the motion that while the court has no doubt Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over the case, but it is necessary to preserve “the public’s confidence in the judicial system.”

Lawyers for defendants Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Williams, as well as Deamonte Kendrick filed the motions, which have now been granted.

The ruling came just over a month after the defendants in the case accused Judge Glanville of holding an improper and coercive meeting with the prosecution and a witness without the defense present. However, the judge was not removed for the meeting itself, but for how he defended his actions following the allegations.

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“Judge Glanville, lawyer Love and lawyer Hylton have prejudiced and tainted Mr. Williams’ trial so deeply as Judge Glanville has not acted as a Judge but morphed into an essential part of the prosecution team,” the defense wrote in its motion.

The Superior Court’s order emphasized that judges must disclose information in a dispassionate and non-argumentative way to avoid appearing biased.

The clerk of court will reassign the case. The change means the trial will likely need to start from the beginning, delaying proceedings considerably.

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