Young Thug’s Attorney Brian Steel Held in Contempt, Taken into Custody During RICO Trial [Video]

Things heated up in court Monday during the YSL RICO trial after the Young Thug‘s attorney, Brian Steel, was taken into custody.

Judge Ural Glanville held Steel in contempt of court after he refused to disclose his source of information regarding an ex-parte meeting between the judge, the State, and key witness Kenneth Copeland.

Judge Glanville repeatedly threatened Steel with contempt, but Steel persisted, accusing the court of “coercion” due to the lack of representation for his client at the meeting.

“I’m going to give you five minutes. If you don’t tell me who it is, I’m going to put you in contempt,” Glanville said.

Steel replied, “I don’t need five minutes.”

Following this heated exchange, the court recessed temporarily. Upon reconvening, Judge Glanville again pressed Steel to reveal his source of information.

“Mr. Steel, I’m going to ask you again. I need you to tell me how you got this information. This is so sacrosanct to have a conversation in my chambers parroted to you,” Glanville exclaimed.

Steel refused again, then motioned for a mistrial, which was denied. He was taken into custody shortly after.

Nearly an hour later, Steel was allowed back into the courtroom with a deadline until the end of the day to reveal his source or face custody again.

The trial, which began in earnest in November 2023, is already the longest in Georgia’s history. It follows the arrest of Young Thug—whose legal name is Jeffery Williams—on May 9, 2022. Williams, a Grammy-winning artist and influential figure in the Atlanta hip-hop scene, has been behind bars for over two years. The charges against him are tied to allegations that YSL (Young Stoner Life), the label he founded, is actually a violent gang known as Young Slime Life.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis indicted 28 people, including Williams, in a sweeping 88-page document. Prosecutors claim that Williams is not just a member but the leader of the gang.