ATLANTA — Wednesday marks the 23rd day of the YSL RICO gang trial against hip-hop superstar Young Thug and his co-defendants.
Right now, jurors are hearing testimony from law enforcement officers who are testifying on behalf of the prosecution.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden has been following the trial. Seiden reports that prosecutors are focusing on acts 70, 71 and 72, which are charges that stem from a 2017 traffic stop in DeKalb County that involved rappers Young Thug and Gunna and one other man who is not charged in the indictment.
“These are the four Adderall pills that came out of the medicine bottle,” Brookhaven police officer David Fikes said.
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Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Williams, showed no emotion as he watched members of the jury pass around bags of evidence seized from the traffic stop.
Fikes testified that he pulled over the Mercedes Maybach near the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport for an alleged window tint violation. Inside the car, they found drugs, two guns, one of which was stolen, and more than $49,000.
In 2022, Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne obtained exclusive body camera footage from the traffic stop. The video isn’t being shown to the jurors. However, they are getting a chance to see some of the photos of what was seized.
During cross-examination, Keith Adams, an attorney for Williams, tried to show jurors that police did not conduct a thorough investigation.
“Tell the jury when you sent them off to the crime lab or whatever to have them analyzed for fingerprints,” Adams said.
“I didn’t,” Fikes responded. “If you don’t have a prescription for that medication, then it’s illegal to be in possession of it.”
MORE YSL COVERAGE:
- YSL trial testimony gets heated when attorneys began arguing about rapper’s song lyrics
- Co-founder says YSL is a music label, believes crimes he committed made YSL appear as a gang
- Former YSL co-defendant takes stand in Fulton trial against gang he admits to co-founding
- As YSL trial resumes, APD officer testifies, recalls previous incidents with one of co-defendants
- YSL RICO case to resume Tuesday, co-defendant stabbed in Fulton County jail now out of hospital
- Report reveals new details from night YSL co-defendant was stabbed during jail fight
The third person involved in the stop told police that all the items in the car were his. At some point, he is expected to testify on behalf of the defense.
It should also be noted that Gunna eventually pleaded out to a lesser charge for a window tint. Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel got all the evidence suppressed after a judge ruled that police did not conduct a proper traffic stop.
The state appealed that decision and that judge reserved the decision. The state did not pursue charges until Fulton County included it in the sweeping RICO gang case. Young Thug has pleaded not guilty.
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