Judge presiding over Young Thug trial ordered off the case

Kraus said she found nothing “inherently improper” about the meeting but also criticized Glanville’s handling of the matter, suggesting his defensive posture raised questions about his ability to be objective. She ordered that Glanville should be recused, citing public trust.

“This Court has no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter if the recusal motions were denied, but the ‘necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system’ weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case,” Krause wrote.

The ruling comes two weeks after Glanville abruptly halted the case amid complaints of misconduct. The order paves the way for a new judge to be assigned to the case — though it was not immediately clear when that would happen or when testimony in the case would resume.

Already, the case has been the longest-running criminal trial in Georgia history, at 18 months and counting. Even before the latest turmoil, critics questioned Glanville’s handling of the case, including his decision to allow jury selection to drag on for 10 months, as well as weeks-long breaks in testimony and other delays.

Eight months after opening statements, prosecutors were only halfway through their witness list of more than 200 people when the trial was abruptly halted. The jury in the case last heard testimony on June 17.

The Young Thug prosecution is one of two high-profile criminal racketeering cases being led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D). Last summer, the veteran prosecutor brought charges against former president Donald Trump and more than a dozen of his associates, alleging they criminally conspired to try to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia.

That case is now at a standstill, as Trump and others appeal a judge’s decision to allow Willis to continue prosecuting the case amid complaints she had an improper romantic relationship with the former lead prosecutor in the case. In recent weeks, there have been growing concerns among those close to Willis that the Young Thug case might also be derailed, giving more fodder to her political critics in a year where she is seeking a second term as Fulton County’s top prosecutor.

A spokesman for Willis declined to comment on the judge’s ruling.

Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, and 27 other associates were charged in May 2022 as part of a sweeping grand jury indictment that alleged the rapper and his associates were members of a violent criminal street gang in Atlanta.

Prosecutors have alleged Young Thug was head of the gang, known as YSL, or Young Slime Life, and have charged him with criminal racketeering, gang conspiracy, drug and weapons charges while others were charged with other violent crimes, including murder and attempted armed robbery.

Young Thug’s attorneys have contended that YSL is merely a record label and have attacked prosecutors for introducing Young Thug’s lyrics as evidence at trial, arguing his rhymes were merely artistic expression not literal recounting of criminal acts.

It was not immediately clear if Glanville’s recusal would get the case back on track.

Brian Steel, an attorney for Young Thug, has filed numerous motions for a mistrial. He has also sought to remove Adriane Love, an assistant Fulton County district attorney who is leading the case, and another prosecutor who were in last month’s secret meeting with Glanville and Kenneth Copeland, a former Young Thug associate and witness.

In a motion last week, Steel gave notice that he plans to call Glanville and Love as defense witnesses to question them under oath about the meeting with Copeland and any other private meetings related to the case that he says defendants should have been privy to.

Steel did not immediately respond to a request for comment to Krause’s ruling.