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Artist News Legal
Young Thug again denied bail as he awaits trial over gang-related charges
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 24 July 2023
Young Thug was again denied bail last week as he continues to fight charges in the US state of Georgia over his alleged involvement in a criminal gang.
According to ABC News, the judge overseeing the case, Ural Glanville, said that he believes the rapper’s release would pose a threat to the community, adding that he remains concerned about possible witness intimidation.
Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, was charged in May last year – alongside fellow rapper Gunna and 26 others – with numerous counts of racketeering. Prosecutors allege that the rapper co-founded a gang that went on to commit murders, shootings and carjackings, which he then bragged about in his music videos.
The latter part of the prosecution’s case against Williams has proven particularly controversial, as it’s part of a trend in criminal cases in the US where a rapper’s creative output is used as evidence against them. Campaigners argue this is unfair, as jurors are more likely to believe – usually wrongly – that rap lyrics are more rooted in reality than the lyrics in other genres of music.
Legal reps for Williams have been trying hard to get their client bail ever since his May 2022 arrest. Attorney Brian Steel insisted in court last week that there is simply no risk that his client will flee or commit crimes if released, meaning there are no grounds for keeping him in jail while he awaits trial. And that jail time, Steel added, is having a negative impact on his client’s health.
The number of defendants involved in the upcoming trial has been reduced over the last year for various reasons, including a number of plea bargains being negotiated. Gunna was released from jail last December after he reached a plea bargain deal with prosecutors.
