The Supreme Court of Georgia’s decision to overturn Morgan Baker’s murder conviction could help Young Thug in the rapper’s ongoing RICO trial. Defense attorney Brian Steel filed a supplemental motion referencing the court’s March 5 ruling in hopes of removing rap lyrics and music videos as evidence in Young Thug’s trial on Wednesday (March 6).
“Baker v. State … has a wonderful analysis of O.C.G.A. § 24-4-403 evidence pertaining to a video of rap music,” Steel wrote. “In Baker v. State, supra, lyrics were not at issue because the words on the rap video were mostly indiscernible. Regardless, our Highest Court, in a 7-2 Opinion, reversed murder convictions from Houston County, Georgia based upon the fact that the Trial Court abused its discretion, not in hindsight but at the time of trial on the admission of evidence by introducing the evidence as ‘intrinsic evidence’ as same did not complete the story as well as under other act evidence because this evidence added little, if any, probative value to the case even if this musical video passed O.C.G.A. § 24-4-401 as well as O.C.G.A. § 24-4-402.”
Georgia’s highest court overturned Baker’s conviction due to the improper use of a NoCap music video in his trial. Young Thug’s legal team believed the ruling bolstered their arguments for striking lyrics and music videos as evidence in his RICO trial.
“Without the prosecution knowing who wrote the lyrics at issue, when the lyrics were written, when the lyrics were produced, who potentially changed any lyrics, what was the intention of the lyrics, what was the mindset of the person speaking the lyrics, who authorized and promoted and orchestrated the musical videos, whether they were real guns or not, whether the musical videos were done for promotional purposes or the like, [Young Thug] again asks this Honorable Court to exclude any and all of the State’s requested evidence pursuant to the Constitutional provisions previously argued … as this evidence is merely an attack on character/propensity,” Steel wrote.
Young Thug is one of six defendants on trial in the YSL RICO case. The trial began in November 2023.
The 300 Entertainment artist pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. He has remained in jail since his 2022 arrest.
