Another dramatic delay hit the YSL trial involving rapper Young Thug on Tuesday when key witness Kenneth Copeland, known as “Lil Woody,” learned mid-day that his attorney, Jonathan Melnick, had been suspended.
The Georgia Supreme Court issued a six-month suspension for Melnick due to misconduct in a separate 2017 child support case, throwing another wrench in what has become Georgia’s longest-running trial.
Lil Woody was briefed about Melnick’s suspension early in the morning but only grasped the full extent at lunchtime.
Taking to Instagram Live, he aired his frustrations and stressed his need for new legal counsel.
Later, he clarified to Judge Paige Reese Whitaker that he would only continue testifying with proper representation.
Judge Whitaker, acknowledging Lil Woody’s confusion over his immunity deal, preemptively arranged for a new attorney, Mr. Engelberger, to take over the case.
According to 11Alive, the trial adjourned early, with Judge Whitaker labeling the delay as a “scheduling and procedural hiccup” before dismissing the jury for the day.
This minor interruption adds more length to Young Thug’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) trial, already marked by an array of controversies and delays.
The rapper, along with 27 other alleged members of the YSL gang, faces charges of racketeering, gang conspiracy, and weapons possession dating back to May 2022.
Complications have marred the trial from the start.
Jury selection stretched over ten months due to numerous excuses from potential jurors.
Even after seating the jury, troubles continued: one juror was jailed for recording inside the courtroom, and another gaffe occurred when a courtroom camera inadvertently revealed jurors’ faces.
Missteps didn’t stop there.
One lawyer was jailed for bringing drugs into the courtroom. Meanwhile, Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, faced contempt charges after refusing to disclose how he discovered a secretive meeting between a key witness, the prosecution, and Judge Ural Glanville.
The latter issue led to Judge Glanville’s recusal after intense motions and clashes from the defense about handling Lil Woody, who was deemed a hostile and unreliable witness.
The trial came to a standstill until the appointment of a new judge.
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker has since stepped in. These cumulative delays have increased the trial’s complexity and duration to unprecedented levels.