- Judge Glanville removed after meeting with prosecutors and a witness
- Decision to remove him was for a specific reason
- Removal is the latest twist in a case that has already gone on for 18 months
The judge in the trial of Young Thug and others has been removed – providing yet another twist in this long-running case.
Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville has been taken off the case after two of the defendants sought his recusal, because he held a meeting with prosecutors and a witness without anyone from the defence being present.
This comes after events last month that saw Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel jailed for 20 days after being held in contempt of court for refusing to disclose how he had heard about a conversation – supposedly private – between a key witness, prosecutors and the judge. However, the sentence was later suspended.
On hold
The trial was then put on hold two weeks ago by Judge Glanville after Young Thug and fellow defendant Deamonte Kendrick asked for the judge to be recused for misconduct over the meeting.
Glanville argued that the meeting was above board and that nobody gained a tactical advantage because of it. But Judge Rachel Krause, who reviewed the motions for recusal, decided to grant them and ordered a different judge to be assigned to the case.
However, Judge Krause was careful to not fault Glanville for holding the meeting – and agreed generally about the propriety of the meeting – and noted that she had no doubt he would continue presiding fairly over the trial, she decided to remove him to preserve the confidence of the public in the judicial system, according to AP.
Long process
This is just the latest in several stoppages that have occurred in the trial. It also took nearly a year to select a jury, and one defendant was stabbed in prison.
The case hinges on the definition of YSL. According to the prosecution, it stands for Young Slime Life, a ‘criminal street gang’ the defendants are said to be part of. The defence counter that is merely means Young Stoner Life and YSL is just a record label.
