A judge has held Young Thug’s attorney in contempt of court on the 88th day of the sprawling RICO trial against the Atlanta rapper. The stunning moment occurred in Fulton County Superior Court after a lunch recess on Monday, June 10, when Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, confronted Judge Ural Glanville about a private meeting between the judge, the prosecution, and star witness Lil Woody, real name Kenneth Copeland, per Law&Crime editor Cathy Russon. By the end of the day, Judge Glanville had sentenced Steel to remain in custody for a maximum of 20 days, from 7 p.m. on Fridays to 7 p.m. on Sundays, from June 14 to August 18.
Back from lunch . Jury not present. Steel says this morning, prosecutors, Woody and Woody's stand in lawyer met with the judge in chambers this morning without the defense knowing.
Judge not happy. Wants to know how Steel found out about it saying that was an ex parte meeting.… pic.twitter.com/YAKHpdf6c2
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) June 10, 2024
“I’m kind of disturbed because all of that was an ex parte conversation,” Glanville told Steel in court. “How did you find out about that conversation?” Steel alleged that Lil Woody had admitted to killing Donovan “Nut” Thomas when speaking with the judge and the prosecution. Glanville warned Steel that he had five minutes to reveal his sources or he would be held in contempt of court.
BREAKING: WATCH – Here is the moment #YoungThug's attorney Brian Steel was taken into custody for contempt. The deputy whispered in his ear (I assume he told him he wouldn't cuff him.) He was held in contempt for not revealing his source that told him what happened in an ex… pic.twitter.com/Ad7ryx3vxA
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) June 10, 2024
Before being taken into custody, Steel argued that a meeting with a witness without the defense present violated procedural rules. “You’re not supposed to have communication with a witness who’s been sworn,” he told the court, requesting a mistrial, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lil Woody himself spent the weekend behind bars after refusing to testify, even though he has an immunity deal that depends on his testimony. According to Steel, the prosecution warned Lil Woody that he could be in custody for the duration of the trial or however long it takes for the defendant’s cases to go through the courts. “If that’s true, what this is is coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for,” Steel told the judge. Refusing to tell Glanville about how he learned of the meeting, Young Thug’s attorney was escorted out of the courtroom. “You are removing me against his will, my will, and you’re taking away his right to counsel,” he said as he was led away.
Still in contempt, Steel was eventually allowed back into the chambers at the behest of the DA and given an end-of-day deadline to tell Glanville who had leaked the information or else be taken into custody once more. According to reports, a “sea of attorneys” gathered outside the courtroom in support of Steel, including Ashleigh Merchant, president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Steel’s law partner and wife, Colette Resnik Steel, filed a notice of appeal and a motion for bond. Lil Woody, for his part, was released from custody.
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Zoe Guy , 2024-06-11 00:56:29
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