FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is concerned for a witness’ safety after video of him speaking with investigators leaked online.
The video, which has been viewed more than 30 million times online, shows a man, who has not been identified, being interrogated in the YSL gang case against hip hop superstar Young Thug.
“It puts people’s lives in danger,” Willis told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne. “My worst fear is that it is used as an intimidating tactic and people might be hurt.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
She says it’s unclear how the video got out. She says authorities have had it for over a year, but defense attorneys just got it two months ago.
“I’m happy to have them make a determination or find out where it came from. I know it didn’t come from us!” Defense Attorney Keith Adams said.
The captions in the video do not appear to be completely accurate, but Willis confirmed a section of the video in which the man claims to know about a murder about to happen is accurate to what he said.
“This is a murder that’s about to take place with some very hot people, and [inaudible] the stuff that I know right now should be able to help me get out my situation,” the man appears to tell investigators.
Willis says that many comments on the YouTube video threaten the man’s life.
“That [expletive] deserve every bullet he got coming,” one commenter wrote.
“U gon die goofy,” another said with several rat emojis.
RELATED STORIES:
- Mom of rapper charged in YSL case arrested trying to sneak rolling papers into courtroom
- Here are the people facing charges in the indictment that includes rapper Young Thug
- Atlanta rapper Gunna released after pleading guilty to RICO charge
- Jail phone calls revealed in court against alleged YSL member
The district attorney has now filed a motion asking Judge Ural Glanville to rule that defense attorneys can only view similar videos in her office and cannot record them. She also wants the judge to order an investigation into who leaked the video.
“You don’t just file a motion and make these allegations when you’ve got absolutely no basis to back that up, and that’s what’s happened in this case,” Adams said.
Adams says he does not agree with the implication in the motion that a defense attorney leaked the video. He believes that the state’s motion should have been sealed from public view when it was filed.
He claims that requiring defense attorneys to view evidence in the DA’s office and not being able to make copies would be unconstitutional because they have the right to review evidence as much as they want to defend their clients.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2022 Cox Media Group
