Elim Garak
Veteran
On Monday (June 10), Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel was taken into custody and held in contempt shortly after Judge Ural Glanville and the prosecution returned from lunch. The jury had not yet been brought back out, and Steel informed Judge Glanville that Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland—a key witness for the prosecution—met with his stand-in lawyer and prosecutors without the defense's knowledge.
Judge Glanville became furious at Steel for knowing this information and demanded he tell him how he found out about the meeting. Judge Glanville claimed that was an ex parte meeting, which is a legal term that refers to a meeting one party has with the judge to speak on issues with the case without the other parties' knowledge. Glanville accused Steel of witness intimidation and coercion. Steel said he wouldn't disclose how he found out about it.
"You and I are going to have some problems," Judge Glanville said.
The judge then left the bench, saying he'd return in five minutes and that Steel needed to tell him then how he found out about the ex parte meeting. Judge Glanville threatened to hold Steel in contempt if he did not do so. After five minutes, Judge Glanville returned, but Steel would not budge. Glanville said he'd be taking Steel into custody, and that he'd have until 5 p.m. to tell the Judge where he got the information before officially charging him.
"You'll have a choice to make," Glanville said. "Take Mr. Steel into custody please."
As Thug's lawyer was led away, he approached the bench and said his client did not feel comfortable moving forward with the trial without him being present. Steel then asked for a mistrial. Thug's second attorney Keith Adams also moved for a mistrial.
"Mr. Williams does not wish to go forward without me being here," Steel told the judge. "You are removing me against his will, my will. You've taken away his right to counsel, and you're conducting material parts of this trial without me present and I can't learn about it by watching online. So, for that reason additionally, I ask for a mistrial and I assume you deny, but I'd like you to deny our motions for mistrial."
"I deny your motion but I'll certainly take that under advisement, sir," Judge Glanville responded.
Witness Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland Also Held in Contempt
Steel's arrest comes amid a contentious few days in the YSL RICO trial. Last Friday (June 7), Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland took the witness stand on day 87 of the trial. As an alleged YSL affiliate, prosecutors were hopeful Copeland would share details about the alleged crimes Thugga is being charged with. As a multiple-time convicted felon, Copeland began cooperating against Thug back in 2021 after he was interrogated following an arrest for possession of a firearm.However, Copeland immediately invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination after Fulton County prosecutors started to cross-examine him. As a result, Judge Ural Glanville held Kenneth Copeland in contempt of court and ordered him to be taken into custody.
Copeland returned to the stand on Monday (June 10) following Steel's arrest.
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