FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The longest criminal trial in the state of Georgia’s history won’t be over before Thanksgiving.
Jurors are currently in the deliberation phase of the RICO trial against alleged criminal street gang Young Slime Life and two of its members: Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick, also known as rapper Yak Gotti.
On Wednesday, Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was there as jurors continued deliberating. Around 3 p.m., jurors decided to head home for Thanksgiving and would continue deliberating on Monday.
On Monday night, prosecutors and defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments. Jurors began deliberating on Tuesday afternoon.
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The first witnesses in the case were called nearly a year ago, making it the longest criminal trial in the state’s history.
Initially, the indictment included 28 defendants, including superstar Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, with conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Since then, nine people took plea deals before the trial began, including rapper Gunna. Other defendants had their cases severed and their cases are still pending.
Now, only Stillwell and Kendrick remain standing trial.
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Prosecutors claim that YSL members have committed violent crimes across Atlanta. They accused Stillwell and Kendrick of killing Donovan Thomas Jr., also known as “Big Nut,” in drive-by shooting because he was in a rival gang.
Prosecutors have argued that tattoos, social media postings and other evidence supports their claims that YSL is a gang.
The defense said that’s not true and argued that Kendrick and Stillwell are part of a record label and not a gang.
“Being signed to a record label, even a rap record label, is not a crime in the U.S.,” attorney Doug Weinstein said.
Get the latest updates from the courtroom on Monday on WSBTV.com and on Channel 2 Action News throughout the day.
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