Young Thug‘s motion for a mistrial in his long-running RICO trial has been denied by Judge Paige Reese Whitaker.
While that is a setback for the YSL rapper, Whitaker also slammed the prosecution for how they are presenting their case against Thugger, who they accuse of being the head of a criminal street gang.
In a moment of frustration captured on the court’s livestream, Whitaker admonished prosecutors, saying: “I don’t want to malign the prosecutor standing in front of me right now, so I’m not going to say the possible things it could be.
“But it is baffling to me that somebody with the number of years of experience that you have, time after time after time, continues to seemingly and purposefully hide the ball to the extent you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can.
“I really don’t want to believe that it is purposeful, but honestly, after a certain number of times, you start to wonder how it could be anything but that. Unless it is just that you are so unorganized that you are throwing this case together as you try it.”
She added: “This case is being made much more difficult for everybody because of the haphazard way in which it is being presented.”
Whitaker then called a brief recess and retreated to her quarters to consider the mistrial motion, but ultimately decided against it.
The judge in the YSL case is finally FED UP
Judge Whitaker goes off on the state and storms out of the courtroom to consider the defenses mistrial motion pic.twitter.com/rb0Q7RMFVk
— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) September 30, 2024
Young Thug’s RICO trial is the longest-running courtroom saga in Georgia state history and has seen no shortage of drama since it began in November 2023.
Most of the trial’s most remarkable moments have revolved around key witness Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland, who was granted immunity by the prosecution for his testimony.
Young Thug: Potential Witness Believes Testimony In RICO Trial Could Cost Him His Life
He previously told the court that he had been a prolific liar, saying: “Like I told you before y’all called me to trial, I have lied. I made things up. I told you this before y’all brought me in this courtroom, and I’m telling you now.
“You asked me about 2015. I had got my life together. Y’all are trying to put this on my conscience, y’all are trying to put people’s lives in my hands.”
He continued: “I don’t wanna be here. Y’all have pressured me, I’m tired of y’all, cause y’all know y’all wrong and y’all Black people doing this to us.”
Copeland also fired his own attorney while on the stand.
