A Fulton County judge has denied a motion to revoke the probation of rapper Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, following a social media post in which he referred to a local gang investigator as the “Biggest liar in the DA office.”
The decision, issued on Thursday by Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, came without explanation, rejecting the prosecution’s arguments that the rapper’s actions warranted legal consequences.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, led by Fani T. Willis, had filed the motion on Wednesday, contending that Mr. Williams’ post constituted a direct threat to the safety of witnesses and prosecutors. Prosecutors alleged that his conduct compromised ongoing legal proceedings and justified immediate probation revocation.
Probation Terms and Prosecutors’ Arguments
Mr. Williams, 33, pleaded guilty in late 2024 to charges of participation in criminal street gang activity, along with drug and weapons offenses. His guilty plea brought an end to his involvement in a lengthy racketeering trial, which became Georgia’s longest-running criminal proceeding.
While he originally faced up to 120 years in prison, he was sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation. The terms of his probation include a prohibition from entering metro Atlanta for ten years, random searches and drug testing, and a restriction against promoting gangs or associating with known gang members.
Prosecutors argued that a post Mr. Williams made on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, in which he posted a photo of Fulton County gang investigator Marissa Viverito, violated these terms. In addition to calling Ms. Viverito a “liar,” he also reposted a fan account featuring her image with the caption: “all my homies hate Viverito.” Both posts were later deleted.
The district attorney’s office claimed that these posts sparked “thousands of comments and retweets, many of which included direct threats to Investigator Viverito and her family.”
In the motion, prosecutors stated that this was “not an isolated incident” but rather part of “a calculated campaign of intimidation, harassment, and misinformation designed to obstruct justice, silence witnesses, and threaten those who enforce the law.”
Defense Response and Court Ruling
Mr. Williams’ attorney, Brian Steel, dismissed the motion as baseless, stating that “Jeffery Williams has done nothing wrong. While intimidation and threats of violence are never appropriate, my client did not engage in any criminal conduct. We look forward to seeking a dismissal of this petition.”
In a response filing submitted Thursday morning, Mr. Steel argued that “comments on social media by unknown persons cannot be attributed to Mr. Williams in order to support a violation of his probationary sentence.”
Judge Whitaker ultimately sided with the defense, rejecting the prosecution’s request without providing further comment.
Young Thug’s Public Response and Career Updates
Following the ruling, Mr. Williams took to social media to defend himself. “I’m a good person, I would never condone anyone threatening anyone or definitely participate in threatening anyone. I’m all about peace and love,” he wrote.
Since his release in October 2024, Mr. Williams has kept a low profile, making limited public appearances and refraining from releasing new music. However, he is scheduled to perform at several music festivals beginning in June 2025, marking his first concerts since 2022.
Legal analysts note that while this ruling is a victory for Mr. Williams, any future violations of his probation terms could expose him to significant legal consequences, including potential incarceration.
