Judge Ural Glanville Recused from Young Thug, YSL Trial

Judge Ural Glanville has been officially recused from the YSL RICO case. This decision, made by Judge Rachel Krause, follows allegations of misconduct and concerns over judicial impartiality.

The motion for recusal was filed by Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, who argued that Judge Glanville’s involvement in a private meeting with prosecutors and a key witness, without the defense present, compromised the trial’s fairness. This June 10 meeting became a central issue in the trial.

Additionally, Steel’s motion called for Judge Krause’s recusal from deciding on Judge Glanville’s disqualification due to a $2,000 donation Glanville made to her recent reelection campaign. However, Judge Krause denied the motion regarding her own recusal, emphasizing the need to maintain public confidence in the judicial system. She stated, “This Court has no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter if the recusal motions were denied, but the ‘necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system’ weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case.”

The ex parte meeting in question involved Judge Glanville, prosecutors, and witness Kenneth Copeland, also known as “Lil Woody,” without any defense attorneys present. This led to Brian Steel being held in contempt of court for refusing to disclose his source about the meeting. Steel was initially sentenced to a 20-day jail term, which was later reversed after the state Supreme Court granted him bond.

The transcript of the meeting, released by Judge Glanville, revealed that Copeland had been held in contempt on June 7 for refusing to testify under an immunity agreement. During the meeting, prosecutors discussed an email from Copeland’s attorney accusing them of endangering Copeland by forcing him to testify and threatening to withdraw from the case. Copeland eventually testified after being told he could remain in jail until all defendants’ cases were resolved.

Steel accused the court of coercion, pointing out that Copeland’s attorney at the meeting was a stand-in for his usual lawyer, who was out of town, and that no representation for Young Thug was present during this discussion.

The decision to recuse Judge Glanville is a significant development in a trial that has already faced numerous delays and disruptions. These include the longest jury selection in Georgia’s history, the arrests of a juror and lawyer, and the stabbing of a defendant. Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, faces multiple charges, including violations of Georgia’s RICO Act, gang activity, and drug and gun charges.