Attorney for star witness Lil Woody in Young Thug’s trial suspended for 6 months

Jonathan Melnick, attorney for Kenneth Copeland, aka Lil’ Woody, violated 2 Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.

The lawyer representing the star witness in Young Thug’s criminal trial in Atlanta has been suspended from practicing law in Georgia for six months.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended Jonathan R. Melnick for violations of two rules of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.

The suspension stems from Melnick’s involvement in a 2017 Rockdale County paternity case in which, the court found, Melnick did not reimburse his client for attorney fees.

Melnick has been the attorney for Kenneth Copeland (aka Lil’ Woody), who is currently testifying in Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial in Atlanta.

While on the stand, Copeland announced on Tuesday what he had learned about his attorney.

“I was told that Mr. Melnick has been suspended and I don’t want to speak without my attorney,” he said.

Copeland said he did not have another attorney and asked that the court find him one. Later in the day, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker notified him the court had found him an attorney. She asked that Copeland, after consulting with his new attorney, return Wednesday to continue his testimony.

Earlier this month, Whitaker ruled Copeland was not given adequate legal representation when he first took the stand in June. On June 7, 2024, Copeland himself was jailed for refusing to testify in the rapper’s trial. Melnick was acting as Copeland attorney at that time, but due to a scheduling conflict, attorney Kayla Bumpus assumed Copeland’s representation.

Copeland eventually agreed to testify after two ex parte meetings held with Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville, who was overseeing the trial at that time; Bumpus; and Assistant Chief District Attorney Adriane Love and Deputy District Attorney Simone Hylton, among others.

The June 10, 2024, ex parte meeting eventually led to Glanville’s recusal from the case.

During a series of motions hearings last week, Whitaker determined that Melnick is Copeland’s attorney.

The impact of Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling on Young Thug’s historically long trial is unclear.

Atlanta News First has reached out to Melnick for comment.

Williams was arrested on May 9, 2022, along with 27 other suspected gang members in Buckhead as part of a 56-count indictment. The trial’s jury selection lasted longer than any other in Georgia history, and actual witness testimony itself will likely surpass state records. Both records were set by the Atlanta Public Schools teacher scandal and trial of 2014-15.

The trial itself began on Nov. 27, 2023. Defense attorneys have repeatedly raised concerns that the trial could go on for years based on the number of witnesses the state plans to introduce.

Prosecutors are attempting to show YSL is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous offenses. Defense attorneys

Young Thug himself is facing eight criminal counts under a federal law originally enacted to fight organized crime. Georgia is one of 33 states with its own RICO law, but in the Peach State, the alleged criminal enterprises do not have to have existed as long as the federal law.

Williams is also charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of codeine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun.

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