ATLANTA — It is motion denied for the public defender who wanted off the YSL trial.
The public defender, Angela D’Williams, told the judge that she makes $55,000 a year and can’t pay all of her bills.
But the executive director of the Georgia Public Defender Council, Omotayo Alli, told the judge that the attorney must honor the contract.
“Just looking for a way to get more money,” Alli said. “The most we can pay for this case is $55,000.”
D’Williams has a contract with the Georgia Public Defender Council and represents defendant Rodalis Ryan Jr., otherwise known as “Lil Rod.”
In her motion, D’Williams said she is struggling to pay her bills and was unaware of how long the trial would last when she signed the contract.
“She sent you a letter on February 5, 2024, is that correct?” attorney Leah Abbasi asked Alli in court on Friday.
“Yes,” Allie answered.
“And that request was asking you to review the current financial situation of the case and consider a supplemental allocation, is that right?” Abbasi asked Alli.
“Yes,” Alli said.
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But Alli testified that when D’Williams first asked to be paid more, the council increased her pay by over $7,000.
She said D’williams then asked for over $200,000 a year.
When that got denied, she said D’Williams then sent out a text that said she filed the motion to withdraw to force the Georgia Public Defender Council to pay her more money.
“We cannot keep going back and forth,” Alli said.
After a short recess, both sides agreed to pay D’Williams her current wage for the duration of the trial with possible additional compensation.
Judge Ural Glanville decided to separate Jimmy Winfrey’s case from the larger YSL case with Young Thug and five other defendants because he was a fugitive of the court.
Winfrey’s case is expected to be tried at a later date.
Thirteen of the original 28 defendants have had their cases separated for various reasons. Nine of them have pled guilty.
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