Young Thug’s YSL trial has experienced a few jury selection delays. A co-defendant has been caught on video trying to slip a Percocet pill to the rapper during the middle of court.
Prosecutors filed a motion in court last week to have Kahlieff Adams and Tenquarius Mender separated from the trial. They argue that both women’s attorneys are pregnant, which would make it difficult for them to properly represent their clients.
Tenquarius Mender
TENQUARIUS MENDER’S lawyers are expecting a child. That’s according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report. Prosecutors have filed a motion to sever Mender’s lawyer Kahlieff Adams from Young Thug’s YSL trial because of the pregnancy.
The prosecution says that Mender, whose real name is Tenquarius Stephens, was one of the founders of YSL, a gang. He confirmed that the gang was made up of three or more people, and that they had identifiers like colors and hand signals specific to them.
Another co-defendant who was arrested and indicted in the case was Trontavious Stephens aka Slug. Accepting a plea deal for freedom, he forfeited his Fifth Amendment rights, barring him from testifying in future trials.
Two other YSL members, Derontae Bebee and Tenquarius Mender aka Nard, have rejected plea deals. They are both set to go on trial with Young Thug in January.
Kahlieff Adams
YSL trial co-defendant Kahlieff Adams has become a major headache for Young Thug. On Wednesday, Adams was caught on camera attempting to hand Thug a Percocet pill in court during the rapper’s RICO trial.
A motion filed by prosecutors alleges that Adams approached Thug during jury selection and handed him a pill, but the rapper wasn’t aware of it being a Percocet until he was taken to the back room where deputies found several more pills along with marijuana, tobacco and other drugs.
The motion states that Adams was tased several times in the back room after his interaction with Thug. Prosecutors claim that Adams attempted to ingest some of the drugs and was sent to Grady Memorial Hospital afterward. He also was accused of trying to delay court proceedings. Eventually, the court was adjourned to the next day. This will likely mean that Young Thug’s trial will take longer than expected, if it happens at all.
Judge Ural Glanville
A judge in the gang conspiracy trial of rapper Young Thug ordered a potential juror to write an essay about jury duty after she skipped out on her shift. The woman was in the Dominican Republic during proceedings so Glanville required her to complete the essay in APA style with 10 primary and secondary sources, reports ABC News.
Young Thug and his YSL gang co-defendant Gunna (real name Sergio Kitchens) are charged with racketeering, gang activity and other crimes outlined in a 65-count indictment. The prosecution alleges the rappers and their associates carried out a range of crimes including murder, armed robbery, drug possession and theft as well as witness intimidation.
A Georgia judge has ruled against releasing Gunna on bond, citing his ability to intimidate witnesses as he awaits trial in January. The rapper was denied bond in May due to alleged leadership in the Young Slime Life street gang and potential witness intimidation if released before the trial.
Prosecutors
Prosecutors have a problem with the fact that Young Thug’s YSL trial co-defendant’s lawyers are getting pregnant. While this might seem like an incredibly small thing to worry about, it’s actually an important issue.
Fulton County prosecutors are seeking to have Young Thug and his YSL co-defendants sentenced to time in prison for RICO gang violations. To make this happen, they’re going to have to prove he and his associates were part of a crime enterprise that engaged in racketeering, homicide, drug trafficking and theft.
To do this, prosecutors are turning to song lyrics and social media posts that YSL members have posted as evidence. They’re also using photos of YSL members wearing “YSL” jewelry and tattoos to make their case.
But prosecutors say their plan isn’t just to use these things as evidence, they’re also trying to bolster their case by focusing on the meat of the offenses themselves. They’re hoping this will help them get a conviction against Young Thug, and set precedent for future criminal cases.
