Young Thug’s disastrous trial inched closer to the finish line as the prosecution and defense negotiated behind the scenes. Multiple defendants made counteroffers to proposed plea deals in the YSL RICO case, per FOX 5 Atlanta.
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sent all parties home for the day without a resolution on Monday (October 28). She asked them to return on Tuesday morning (October 29).
Defense attorneys said their counteroffers were brought to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is running for reelection in Georgia. Her Republican opponent Courtney Kramer claims she will dismiss the YSL RICO case if she defeats Willis.
Young Thug’s trial has been slow yet chaotic. Months ago, one judge was forced to recuse him due to courtroom misbehavior that derailed the proceedings. Prosecutors were to blame for the latest disruption.
The prosecution failed to redact a name from evidence presented to a witness testifying in Young Thug’s trial on October 23. The witness revealed one of the defendants was previously incarcerated, which the jury wasn’t supposed to know. The defense demanded a mistrial. One attorney accused the prosecution of “goading” the defense into a mistrial so the Fulton County D.A. could retry the case.
“I do not believe that [prosecutors] are purposefully trying to insert error into this trial to make y’all ask for a mistrial so that they can try this case again,” Judge Whitaker said. “I think it is continued [mistakes]. And I am sorry [prosecutors] have this gigantic, ginormous universe of evidence that maybe if you narrowed down you would not be making these kinds of mistakes, but I believe that to be a mistake.”
Judge Whitaker refused requests for a mistrial with prejudice but asked the defense if they wanted one without prejudice. A mistrial without prejudice would allow the prosecution to try Young Thug and his co-defendants again. Defense lawyers considered it, resulting in the trial going on hold for a few days.