In Atlanta, a judge recently decided against revoking rapper Young Thug’s probation, despite a request from prosecutors who sought his imprisonment. The judge, however, urged the rapper to be cautious with his social media activities after a post he made went viral, leading to significant backlash against the district attorney’s office.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, had previously pleaded guilty to charges involving gang activity, drugs, and firearms. Following his plea, he was released from jail. On Wednesday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed a court document arguing that Young Thug’s conduct threatened the safety of witnesses and prosecutors and jeopardized ongoing legal cases, thus warranting a revocation of his probation.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, after reviewing the submissions from both Willis and Young Thug’s attorney, opted not to revoke the probation. In her succinct order, Judge Whitaker noted that although the social media post in question did not constitute a probation violation, Young Thug should exercise more discretion in his online interactions.
The district attorney’s concern stemmed from Young Thug’s action of reposting an image of a district attorney’s investigator with a caption labeling them as deceitful. This post rapidly gained traction online, accumulating over two million views and many comments and retweets. Along with the viral post, the investigator’s and her parents’ home addresses were publicly disclosed, leading to online threats against them and a specific threat towards the district attorney, Willis.
In response on social platform X, Young Thug stated, “I don’t make threats to people; I’m a good person. I would never condone or participate in threatening anyone. I’m all about peace and love.” His lawyer, Brian Steel, countered the prosecutors’ claims, arguing that they were unfounded and that his client had not breached the terms of his probation.
The rapper was part of a significant indictment in May 2022, together with over 20 individuals, under accusations of transgressing Georgia’s anti-racketeering laws. He was alleged to have co-established a notorious street gang involved in violent crimes such as murder, shootings, and carjackings, which they purportedly bragged about in music and on social media over a decade.
Initially, Young Thug was sentenced to a 40-year term. The first five were meant to be served in prison but were commuted to time already served. He is currently on probation for the next 15 years, followed by a “backloaded” 20-year period, which could also be commuted to time served if he adheres to his probation conditions.
Had the probation been revoked, Young Thug would have faced a 20-year imprisonment. The prosecutors noted that the investigator in the viral post is a key witness in a high-profile gang murder trial. The court had instructed that the investigator’s identity not be broadcasted during testimony.
A blogger had previously taken an image of the investigator and declared, “She doesn’t want to be shown on screen? Well, here she is,” which was then shared by Young Thug, according to the prosecutors.
While the prosecution accused Young Thug of associating with those who engage in witness intimidation, his defense maintained there was no indication Young Thug was aware of the restrictions placed on showing the investigator’s image, nor was it a probation breach to express opinion on her credibility. None of the threats mentioned were attributed directly to Young Thug.
The ongoing trial, with Young Thug and five others, commenced towards the end of 2023, months after difficulty in forming a jury. By October, Young Thug, alongside three co-defendants, entered guilty pleas. The jury, in November, cleared the two remaining defendants of racketeering, murder, and gang charges, but convicted one on a weapons charge.
Notably, Young Thug gained acclaim for co-writing “This is America” with Childish Gambino, the trailblazing hip-hop song that achieved a song of the year Grammy in 2019.