GA Judge Presiding Over Young Thug Trial Ordered Off Case: Report

ATLANTA, GA — A Fulton County judge overseeing the criminal racketeering trial against rapper Young Thug was removed from the case Monday after he was accused of misconduct, according to a Washington Post report.

In a written order obtained by the Post, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause said Judge Ural Glanville violated public trust when he decided to have a private meeting with star witness Kenneth Copeland and prosecutors without informing defense attorneys.

While Krause said she found nothing “inherently improper” about the meeting, she criticized Glanville’s handling of the situation and questioned his ability to be objective, the Post reported.

“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,” Krause wrote.

The ruling came two weeks after Glanville halted the trial against Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, and will surely cause more delays in a trial that has already dragged on for over a year. Jury selection began in January 2023 and took nearly 10 months. Opening statements were in November and the prosecution has been presenting its case since then, calling dozens of witnesses.

Williams was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He also is charged with gang, drug and gun crimes and is standing trial with five of the others indicted with him.

Lawyers for Williams and co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick had filed motions seeking Glanville's recusal. The defense attorneys argued the meeting was “improper” and that the judge and prosecutors had tried to pressure the witness to testify.

Glanville maintained that the meeting was proper and argued that no one gained a tactical advantage as a result.

Williams' attorney, Brian Steel, also challenged Glanville on the alleged ex parte meeting and was found in contempt of court after not disclosing the source of his information, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Steel was placed in police custody and ordered to spend time in jail; however, the Georgia Supreme Court granted the lawyer an emergency motion staying Glanville's order, the news outlet reported.

It was not immediately known when Williams' trial would resume.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.