ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that more prominent names in the rap and hip-hop community could be called in a trial against defendants in the Young Slime Life case.
The trial is scheduled to begin next week for 14 defendants facing charges in the RICO case, including Jeffrey Williams, a.k.a. Young Thug.
[RELATED: PHOTOS: Here’s who could take the witness stand in the trial against Young Thug, YSL Gang]
On Tuesday, Channel 2′s Michael Seiden obtained the potential witness list for Williams’ defense. The list included Atlanta rapper Killer Mike, music executives and Williams’ fiancé. On Wednesday, Seiden obtained the lists for the state’s case and for one of Williams’ co-defendants, Miles Farley.
The state list includes 157 names connected to the Atlanta police department, 62 names from various law enforcement agencies and 125 lay witnesses.
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The most notable names among the lay witnesses are: Rashawn “YFN Lucci” Bennett; Dwayne Carter, a.k.a. “Lil Wayne”; Alexis “Dolly’ Grier, Williams’ sister; Dequantes Lamar, a.k.a. “Rich Homie Quan”; and Bryan Williams, a.k.a. “Birdman.”
Attorneys for Bennett released a statement to Seiden on Wednesday saying that their client would not be testifying in the YSL case, despite appearing on the witness list.
“Rayshawn Bennett (Lucci), has never been interviewed or subpoenaed by law-enforcement, the Fulton County District Attorney‘s office or any of the party’s regarding the YSL case. Any party can announce for example that Abraham Lincoln is on their witness list, but those words alone are meaningless. So, to be 100% clear, Rayshawn Bennett (Lucci) will not be a witness in the YSL case. His focus, as it should be, is on his pending Fulton County case.”
— Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg, The Findling Law Firm
For Farley’s list, the most notable names are: Clifford Harris, Jr. a.k.a, “T.I.”; Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn a.k.a “Future”; and Michael Lamar White II a.k.a “Trippie Red.”
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Seiden was in the courtroom Wednesday as the jury selection process began. The first several hundred of what could be 600 potential jurors were interviewed by attorneys to see if they will be called to serve on the jury.
Channel 2 Action News has been following the YSL since the indictment and arrests in May 2022.
Prosecutors allege that Williams was one of the founders of YSL, or Young Slime Life, an alleged criminal street gang accused of committing violent crimes, including murder and armed robbery from 2013-2022.
Defense attorneys argue that the allegations are false, claiming YSL is a clothing company and record label, also known as Young Stoner Life.
Originally, the indictment charged 28 defendants, but eight have since taken plea deals and six others will be tried separately.
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