by Jeroslyn JoVonn
February 16, 2024
A court-appointed attorney involved in Young Thug’s YSL trial is asking to be removed due to how it’s put her in danger of losing “her livelihood.”
A court-appointed attorney involved in Young Thug’s high-profile YSL trial is asking to be removed from the case because she claims it is putting her in danger of losing “her livelihood.”
Attorney Angela D’Williams spoke at a hearing on Friday, February 16, to ask the judge to take her off Fulton County’s RICO case against Young Thug and his YSL associates. D’Williams has been representing defendant Rodalius Ryan, 19, an alleged member of YSL (also known as Young Slime Life and Young Stoners Life).
The lawyer was only hired on a contractual basis and said the amount she’s being paid is too low for all the work and sacrifice she’s put into the case. D’Williams filed a motion claiming to have lost her physical law office and is in danger of losing “her livelihood” due to the trial, Atlanta News First reported.
Her letter notes the “minimal time for other professional responsibilities” she’s been left with due to working on the trial.
“I am not able to take on new clients because I am either in court for this trial or outside of court working on this case the majority of my time,” her motion states. “As such, I am not able to earn a livable wage while representing Mr. Ryan in this trial.”
She added that the “unique nature of the case has created an undeniable need for additional financial support.” While the Georgia Public Defense Council agreed that D’Williams’ situation was “unusual,” they could not agree to another pay increase, Legal Affairs and Trials journalist Meghann Cunniff reported.
Due to the low pay, it’s the second time D’Williams has asked to be removed from the case. Last April, she filed a motion asking to be taken off due to the $15,000 offer she was given to work on the case, which she said could take over a year. After months of selecting a jury and weeks of hearings, D’Williams says the raised salary ceiling of $55,000 is still insufficient to sustain a living.
She was assigned to represent Ryan, who is facing a charge of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The defendant is already serving a life sentence for the 2015 murder of a teenager in Atlanta.
