Security tight as rapper Young Thug appears in court

ATLANTA — There was tight security with rapper Young Thug in court on Monday.

The state’s top witnesses told the judge why the gang-conspiracy case against him should move forward.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was in the courtroom all day Monday.

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Surrounded by sheriff’s deputies, hip hop superstar Young Thug and nearly two dozen of his codefendants entered a Fulton County courtroom Monday.

With jury selection scheduled to begin on Jan. 4, prosecutors and defense attorneys are scrambling to file last-minute motions ahead of this trial.

On Monday, prosecutors called on their expert witnesses.

The first witness to testify was Fulton County’s cheif medical examiner, Dr. Karen Sullivan.

Prosecutors asked her about the autopsies she performed on one of the alleged victims.

“Dr. Sullivan, did you perform the autopsy on Mr. Jamari Holmes?” prosecutors asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“And did you follow all the standards and procedures that you outlined in the best practices?”

“Yes,” she answered.

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The defense was also given the opportunity to question Sullivan before moving on to the second witness, a member of the Atlanta police crime lab who focuses on fingerprints at a crime scene.

Young Thug is one of more than two dozen people indicted for conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Prosecutors allege Young Thug is the co-founder of a violent street gang called Young Slime Life.

Investigators say YSL is responsible for commititng multiple murders, shootings and carjackings.

Lawyers for the defendants claim that YSL is a record label called Young Stoner Life.

The trial is expected to start after jury selection is completed.

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