ATLANTA — Jurors in Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial will have to wait until after the holiday to continue deliberating the fate of two remaining defendants in Fulton County's YSL RICO case.
The jury reconvened on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, to continue deliberations, and after several hours, they hadn't yet reached a unanimous decision. Per Judge Paige Whitaker's instructions, the jurors were excused until Monday, Dec. 2, when they will resume deliberating.
Deamonte Kendrick (also known as Yak Gotti) and Shannon Stillwell face accusations of murder on behalf of the purported Young Slime Life gang, which prosecutors allege was co-founded by Atlanta rapper Young Thug.
Prosecutors presented social media posts and song lyrics as evidence to support claims of gang-related activities. The defense countered that YSL is a legitimate music label, not a criminal organization. The trial has spanned nearly a year and is nearing its conclusion.
There were 28 men originally indicted under alleged violations of RICO and other crimes, a list that has slowly whittled down to the two remaining defendants, Kendrick and Stillwell. The others have slowly peeled off the case, either being severed, or removed, from it for various reasons (such as not having legal representation) or via plea deals.
Young Thug, the highest-profile defendant in the case, left jail after more than two years last month when he entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to some of his charges in a legal bid to receive a more favorable sentence directly from Judge Paige Whitaker than what was being offered by prosecutors in plea deals -- a move that succeeded.
Legal analyst and former Fulton County prosecutor Darryl Cohen, who is not affiliated with the case, said the trial’s complexity and duration make predicting the final outcome for Kendrick and Stillwell challenging.
“This case has gone on for so long that I wouldn’t be surprised by a mixed verdict, a not-guilty verdict, or anything else,” Cohen said. “The jury’s decision is hard to predict given the twists and turns of this very complex case.”
Jurors were instructed to return to court at 9 a.m., though the session will be shorter due to the Thanksgiving holiday. They will leave by 3 p.m. if there is no verdict Wednesday and not return to court until Monday.
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How the YSL trial could unfold this week
While this outline was discussed, the trial's timeline could unfold differently.
Monday, Nov. 25
Closing arguments began and ended.
Tuesday, Nov. 26
The judge gave the jury instructions and charges, and deliberations began.
Wednesday, Nov. 27
Jury deliberations continue with a verdict possible this evening. This also marks one year since the opening statements.
Thursday, Nov. 28
There's no court due to Thanksgiving.
Friday, Nov. 29
There's no court due to this being the day after Thanksgiving.