In Atlantga, Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause granted the defendants' motions to recuse Chief Judge Ural Glanville from the Young Thug/YSL trial, USA Today reports. "This Court has no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter if the recusal motions were denied," Krause wrote, "but the 'necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system' weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case." Young Thug's lawyers said their client "is innocent of the charges brought in this indictment and to clear his name he sought a speedy trial, one in which he would receive the constitutional guarantees of a fair trial with an impartial judge presiding and ethical prosecutors following the law." The removal of a judge is the latest development in a winding legal case that is reportedly the longest-running criminal trial in Georgia history.
Proceedings have been on hold since lawyers for defendants Deamonte Kendrick (aka Yak Gotti) and Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Williams, accused Glanville of improperly meeting with prosecutors and a star witness. On June 10, Glanville met with Georgia prosecutors and the state's witness, Kenneth Copeland (aka Lil Woody) – who had agreed to testify against Young Thug and other defendants in the racketeering case but waffled on the decision before ultimately taking the stand June 10 – in the judge's chambers. The counsel for those accused in the case were not notified of the ex parte meeting. The Grammy-winning rapper's lawyers claimed Young Thug has received a "constitutionally unfair trial" in their motion to disqualify or recuse Glanville. In the filing, his attorneys also requested a mistrial ruling, arguing that Glanville "engaged in an unlawful, improper ex parte meeting."