ATLANTA — Jurors are currently deliberating in a high-profile gang and racketeering trial in Atlanta that has drawn significant attention over the past year. This case initially involved rapper Young Thug and centers around accusations against individuals such as Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick, who performs under the name Yak Gotti. They face a variety of serious accusations, including murder, gang activity, drug offenses, and weapons charges. The original indictment included 28 people accused of conspiring to breach Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
The trial saw its opening statements presented about a year ago, highlighting the gravity of the charges. Recently, four defendants, including Young Thug, opted to take guilty pleas last month, resulting in his release on probation. Conversely, both Stillwell and Kendrick turned down plea bargains after extensive negotiations, leading their legal teams to abstain from sharing any additional testimony or evidence.
On the morning of closing arguments, Kendrick appeared to be in positive spirits as he engaged in light conversation with Stillwell and their attorneys. The pair is implicated in the 2015 homicide of Donovan Thomas Jr., known as “Big Nut,” who was shot and killed inside an Atlanta barbershop. The prosecution portrayed Stillwell and Kendrick as members of the Young Slime Life (YSL) street gang, which was co-founded by Young Thug in 2012. In their closing statements, prosecutors cited various forms of evidence, including tattoos, lyrical content, and social media activity, which they argue demonstrate admissions of violent acts.
Prosecutors assert that Donovan Thomas was affiliated with a rival gang, and Stillwell is additionally facing charges related to the 2022 murder of Shymel Drinks, allegedly an act of retaliation for the deaths of two YSL members shortly beforehand. On the other hand, defense attorneys Doug Weinstein and Max Schardt argued that the prosecution’s case relied on questionable witnesses and flimsy evidence, suggesting a misleading portrayal of their clients and the broader YSL community.
Schardt emphasized to the jury that several alleged YSL members had previously admitted to lying to law enforcement under pressure, ultimately suggesting that one of these witnesses could have been responsible for Thomas’s murder. He stressed that Stillwell and Kendrick’s aspirations in music were aimed at escaping the cycles of poverty and violence prevalent in their community, stating, “As a whole, we know the struggles that these communities have had.”
The term YSL also references Young Thug’s record label, Young Stoner Life. Kendrick has contributions to two tracks on the label’s compilation album, “Slime Language 2,” which were cited by the prosecution as part of their evidence. During closing arguments, Weinstein criticized the prosecutors’ focus on the defendants’ music and lyrics, while prosecutor Simone Hylton countered that the available surveillance and phone evidence lent credibility to their claims.
The trial has faced numerous delays, with jury selection taking nearly a year, and an incident where Stillwell was stabbed last year at Fulton County Jail, which temporarily halted proceedings. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker took over after the previous judge was removed due to an undisclosed meeting with prosecutors and a state witness. Despite the obstacles, the trial progressed more smoothly under Judge Whitaker’s management.
In October, four defendants, including Young Thug, accepted guilty pleas, with the rapper agreeing to a non-negotiated or “blind” plea. Nine other defendants had previously taken plea deals prior to the commencement of the trial, with charges still pending against 12 others. One defendant had charges dismissed after facing a conviction for a separate murder case.
