The judge overseeing the Young Slime Life (YSL) trial admonished one of District Attorney Fani Willis‘ prosecutors Tuesday for not having enough witnesses to fill the day.
As the long-running racketeering case continued in Fulton County, Georgia, prosecutor Adriane Love told Judge Paige Reese Whitaker that there had been difficulties securing a key witness.
“I expect that that witness will be coming in, it’s the one we’ve been discussing, but I think it’s pertinent information,” Love said.
“Not right now,” the judge replied. “Frankly it doesn’t matter if you have a particular witness.
“What you have been instructed is to have enough witnesses to fill the day.”
Left: Judge Paige Reese Whitaker answers the question as she hears arguments for several motions the trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at the Fulton County courtroom in Atlanta. Right: Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, is seen at a hearing, Dec. 22, 2022, in Atlanta.
Miguel Martinez/Miguel Martinez/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
The exchange highlighted the slow pace of the case, revolving around the gang and rapper Young Thug, which has stretched for over a year.
The rapper, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, is accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, aimed at targeting individuals working under a criminal organization.
Williams and several co-defendants are facing charges related to racketeering conspiracy and participation in criminal street gang activity, along with drug and gun charges.
DA Willis is overseeing two RICO cases, with the other being her prosecution of former President Donald Trump and his allies for their alleged efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election under Georgia’s racketeering laws.
The conduct of the DA’s office has been called into question, with a private meeting between the previous judge and Willis’ team coming to light, along with accusations of an investigator asking a witness out on a date.
In April, Assistant District Attorney Love got into a heated exchange with former judge Ural Glanville after he sided with the defense and ruled that the evidence Love wanted to introduce would be excluded.
As she began to express her frustrations with the ruling, Glanville told her, “Well, then you all should have gotten yourself together beforehand,” before telling the court to summon the jury—a scene echoed this week.
Tuesday’s disagreement between Judge Whitaker and Love, not their first clash, further highlighted the challenges with witnesses in the case.
One witness, Quindarrius Zachary, also known as Dee and Lil’ D, was detained Friday but was moved to a nearby hospital over health concerns, meaning he was unlikely to take the stand to answer questions on alleged crimes carried out by the gang anytime soon.
Prosecutors reportedly have over 100 witnesses to call, but the judge hopes to wrap up the case before the holiday season.
