Young Thug Adds Hip-Hop Experts To Witness List For YSL RICO Trial
Young Thug’s legal team has submitted the rapper’s witness list as he prepares to face trial and appears to be leaning on the expertise of Hip-Hop historians and authors to help plead his case.
According to AllHipHop, Thug’s witness list was turned in on Sunday (Dec. 18) and includes a number of esteemed authors and college professors, who are considered experts of Hip-Hop culture and rap lyrics. Among those who could possibly appear in court on the Slime Language rapper’s behalf are Dr. Erik Nielson, who co-authored the book Rap on Trial: Race, Lyrics and Guilt in America, Dr. Adam Dunbar of the University of Nevada – Reno and Dr. Charis Kubrin of the University of California – Irvine. In addition to the Nielson, Dunbar, and Kubrin, other witnesses on Thugger’s list include a cell phone expert, drug treatment counselor, and a video analysis expert.
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News of the rapper’s witness list comes in the wake of multiple defendants in the YSL RICO case being released from prison after taking plea deals, which required their admission of YSL being a gang. Among those released include rap star Gunna, Lil Duke, Slimelife Shawty and YSL co-founder Walter Murphy. All were credited with time served, received suspended sentences, and will have to complete community service as part of their agreements. They have also maintained that their plea deals were struck without them having to incriminate Young Thug and they will not be required to testify at his trial.
According to Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, his client is a scapegoat and has been unfairly singled out by the state of Georgia and authorities. “He’s like the easy target,” Steel said of Thug. “So, somebody gets arrested and gets in trouble and they want to deal. Law enforcement officers are all too eager to say, ‘Well, tell us about Mr. Williams. Is he involved in this? What do you know about him?’”
He continued, adding “That’s the problem with this case. It’s coming from the word of people who are getting deals to say, ‘Yeah, he was there or I saw him around or he gave the order or I heard from someone else. He gave the order.’ That’s what this case is about.”
Jury selection for Young Thug’s trial is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2023.
