Young Thug’s Attorney Being Held
On Monday, the judge presiding over Young Thug’s lengthy racketeering trial slapped the musician’s attorney in contempt over a private chat between the judge, prosecutors, and a key witness.
Brian Steel was removed out of the courtroom after refusing to inform Judge Ural Glanville how he learnt of the meeting in the judge’s chambers before court.
“You got some information you shouldn’t have gotten,” Glanville told the rapper’s attorney before ordering courtroom officers to arrest him.
“You’re not supposed to have communication with a sworn witness,” Steel told the judge before requesting a mistrial.
After declining to testify Friday, Kenneth Copeland spent the weekend in jail. On Monday, Copeland changed his mind and testified in a prison jumpsuit.
The reluctant witness dodged some of the prosecutor’s questions before lunch, when Steel said he learned of the morning meeting.
“How about the witness, Mr. Copeland, who supposedly announced that he’s not testifying and he’ll sit for two years and, supposedly, this honorable court, or let me rephrase that, this court can hold you until the end of this trial?” Steel asked.
He then said he heard prosecutor Simone Hylton tell the witness that he might be imprisoned until all 26 defendants’ cases were resolved, regardless of how long that takes.
The Witness
“If that’s true, this is coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications we have a constitutional right to be present for,” Steel told Glanville.
“I still want to know, how did you come upon this information,” Glanville asked. “Who told you?”
“What I wanna know is why wasn’t I there,” Steel told the judge.
Glanville indicated he would proceed after removing Steel.
“I’m not halting nothing,” he remarked.
Young Thug’s other attorney, Keith Adams, stated he didn’t want to proceed without him.
Glanville said he “does not have that luxury” and directed Adams to defend his client in court.
“You can’t extort the court,” Glanville remarked. “That doesn’t work.”
He dubbed the meeting leak “such a violation of the sacrosanct-ness of the judge’s chambers.”
Before leaving, Steel told the judge his client did not want to proceed without him.
“You are removing me against his will, my will, and you’re taking away his right to counsel,” Steel stated as he left.
