Drama unfolded in court on Monday as Brian Steel, the defense attorney for Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug, was arrested and held in contempt during the ongoing high-profile racketeering trial.
What Happened
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville accused Steel of violating court regulations by obtaining information about a private meeting between the judge, prosecutors, and witness Kenneth Copeland, as reported by 11Alive.
When Steel repeatedly refused to disclose how he learned about the confidential meeting, he was taken into custody.
Background
The trial, now two years in the making, stems from the arrest of Jeffery Williams, known as Young Thug, and 27 others who were charged with criminal street gang activities.
Currently, only six defendants remain on trial after several plea deals and case severances. Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis alleges that Williams used his Young Slime Life (YSL) music group to facilitate various crimes, including murders, robberies, and drug dealing, which Williams denies, asserting that YSL is solely a music label.
Contentious Moments
Defense attorneys, including Keith Adams, Williams’ second attorney, and Max Schardt, representing co-defendant Shannon Stillwell, called for a mistrial and demanded a transcript of the private meeting.
Judge Glanville denied these motions.
Judge’s Ruling
At 7:33 p.m., Judge Glanville ruled that Steel would serve his weekends in custody at Fulton County Jail from Friday, June 14, until Sunday, Aug. 18, totaling 20 days.
Despite this, Glanville assured that Steel would still be able to meet with Williams during his incarceration.
Defense Efforts
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant, the president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and representing one of former President Trump’s co-defendants in Georgia’s election interference case, appeared in court to support Steel.
Next Steps
Steel intends to appeal Judge Glanville’s criminal contempt order, continuing the legal battle in this landmark case.
