Young Thug YSL Trial On Pause Amid Defense's Mission To Remove Judge

The ongoing YSL RICO trial has been paused once again after the defense launched an effort to remove the judge presiding over the case.

On Monday, July 1, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville told the court that he placed a hold on the trial after he entered motions to recuse from Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel , and lawyers for the rapper's other co-defendants. Steel and the other lawyers want the judge off the case after he held a meeting with prosecutors and witness Kenneth "Woody" Copeland without notifying attorneys and defendants from the other side. YSL's defense team thinks the judge's behavior was "improper."

During the hearing, Judge Ural Glanville explained the motions to recuse will be sent to another judge, who will make the final decision. Jurors are currently on recess until July 8, but they will be notified that they won't be needed until the ruling is made. Judge Glanville also promised to release the transcript of the meeting in question.

"Upon further review, this court will in fact enter an order sending Mr. Adams and Steel's, Mr. Weinstein and Mr. Banks motion to recuse to another judge," Judge Glanville said. "This order is entered. I will enter the order transferring it, and until such time those things are decided, we will be in recess until that time."

The decision comes after several weeks of intense back-and-forth between the judge and the defense. Steel filed a motion to recuse Judge Glanville last month after he learned about the meeting from Copeland's former attorney. He argued the meeting was inappropriate and accused the judge of trying to pressure the witness into testifying even after he was granted immunity. Instead of addressing the allegation, Judge Glanville pressed Steel for his source. After Steel refused to reveal who told him about the meeting, Judge Glanville held him in contempt .

This is the latest bump in the road for the YSL RICO trial. The trial has dragged on for over a year after it began in January 2023. It took 10 months to secure 12 jurors before opening statements were made last November. Since then, the prosecution has called numerous witnesses to present its case against Thugger and his YSL cohorts. The Young Stoner Life founder and his affiliates were charged two years ago with conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law along with several gang, drug, and gun offenses.