Young Thug trial sparks online questions about YSL rapper’s shirt: Updates
Young Thug is charged in a sprawling RICO trial which accuses YSL of being a criminal gang
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The hotly-anticipated trial of the rapper Young Thug is back under way in a courtroom in Atlanta, Georgia, after being derailed when a codefendant was stabbed in jail.
In May 2022, Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, was arrested and charged in a sprawling RICO indictment along with 27 other defendants.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis – who is using the same law to prosecute Donald Trump in his Georgia election interference case – accused the suspects of being part of a criminal street gang named YSL or “Young Slime Life.”
According to prosecutors, the gang is responsible for multiple violent crimes, including murders, shootings, carjackings and racketeering. Young Thug denies the accusations and insists YSL is simply his record label – Young Stoner Life.
The trial has been undoubtedly rocky. Shannon Stillwell, a YSL co-defendant, was stabbed “multiple times” in jail by a fellow inmate in December. The incident led to the trial’s postponement until 2 January.
When the trial resumed on Tuesday, Young Thug instantly sparked speculation online around what he was wearing under his shirt.
What does “Bloods” mean?
Bloods are a national gang. “YSL claims affiliation with” this gang, the indictment says.
“Bloods gang members typically and often will disrespect the rival Crips by avoiding the use of the letter C,” often replacing it with the letter “B” or an X or by crossing out the letter entirely, Detective Belknap said.
Read more about the terms used in the YSL trial.
YSL and Pushin P: A dictionary guide to the Young Thug trial
The rapper’s defence attorney defined ‘thug’ as ‘truly humble under God’ in a now-viral moment
ICYMI: How long has Young Thug been behind bars?
Young Thug has been in prison since his arrest in May 2022.
In November, a jury was finally selected after almost one year – with over 2,000 people having been summoned to possibly serve.
Opening statements finally kicked off on 27 November.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the trial could end up being the longest in Georgia’s history.
Who is Trontavious Stephens?
Stephens took the stand on Wednesday.
He was originally named as a defendant in the case, but took a plea deal in December 2022.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported at the time that Stephens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate Georgia’s RICO Act.
He admitted that he was one of the YSL founders.
Prosecution asks Stephens about others in the courtroom
Ms Love asked about the initiation process.
Stephens said one is “jumped in,” which consists of a “fistfight” between a person who was “already in and a person who was trying to get in.”
“Have you ever falsely claimed ‘Sex Money Murder’?” Ms Love then asked. “I never went through the process of being jumped in,” he said, before admitting that he had falsely claimed it.
He said got a “B” tattoo.
When asked if anyone in the courtroom was a member of ROC Crew, he said “no one in this courtroom was originally raised on Cleveland.” When Ms Love changed her question to being “affiliated” with ROC Crew, he took a long time to answer, asking for clarification, before answering yes because they know him.
Stephens said by “affiliated,” he meant he was including people he went to neighbourhood clubs, naming Jeffery Williams, Shannon Stillwell, Marquavious Huey, and Deamonte Kendrick.
He said he knew Mr Huey since 2015, Mr Williams since 2012, Mr Stillwell since 2013 or 2014, and Mr Kendrick since elementary school.
ICYMI: Why was the trial delayed until 2 January?
One of the codefendants on trial, Shannon Stillwell, was stabbed in jail on 10 December.
Willie Brown, an inmate at Rice Street Jail, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of prohibited items in connection to the stabbing, according to a Fulton County Sheriff’s Office press release.
A fight erupted between Mr Brown and Mr Stillwell on the evening of 10 December — but it’s still not known what led to the fight. Mr Stillwell was “stabbed multiple times by Brown” and Mr Stillwell is in stable condition, the release stated.
Read the full story...
Young Thug co-defendant in YSL Rico trial is stabbed in jail
‘Other than he survived, I don’t know much else,’ his attorney said
Stephens’ tattoos analysed
Prosecutors showed a picture of the tattoo on his neck, which read “BFL,” Stephens testified.
The F, which is in red ink, said it looks like a skateboard brand, adding that there was a star in it.
The L is shaped like a gun and the B is a money bag or bank. Stephens said the letters mean“put your money first and last.”
The prosecution then showed a photo of the back of his neck with a tattoo that said “Kant fight fate.” Ms Love then pulled up a beanie with the words “Bompton,” instead of “Compton.”
Ms Love was perhaps trying to insinuate he did so to adhere to Bloods gang tendencies. “Bloods gang members typically and often will disrespect the rival Crips by avoiding the use of the letter C,” Detective Belknap previously testified.
Young Thug debuts announces clothing line
The rapper announced the new clothing line on Instagram on Tuesday, writing “If you support me then... you know the rest.”
The line is called ActNormal. An account, which seemed to belong to the brand, reposted Mr Williams’ Instagram story writing “#freeJeff.”
In a separate post, the account wrote in a caption: “When the world is in chaos we do what the rest of the world isn’t doing.”
Mr Williams’ clothing has been the subject of headlines over the past few weeks during the trial, when he wore a designer wolf sweater after the prosecution accused him of being the “leader” of the YSL “pack.”
Lil Wayne incident
The prosecution is asking Stephens about an alleged 2015 incident in which codefendant Jimmy Winfrey was accused of shooting at a bus in which Lil Wayne was a passenger, according to the indictment.
Winfrey initially pleaded guilty to 27 counts related to shooting up the tour bus, according to reports, and began to serve part of his 10-year sentence when a Georgia Supreme Court judge overturned his conviction. He then took another plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to two of the 27 charges.
What does “SLATT” stand for?
The prosecution and some law enforcement witnesses have mentioned “SLATT.” The indictment says that it is an abbreviation for “Slime Love All the Time.”
Atlanta Police Department detective Mark Belknap, a witness for the prosecution, told jurors that “SLATT” is an identifier of the gang YSL, and can often be used in tattoos, graffiti or on social media.