Young Thug’s RICO trial has been full of twists and turns, several of which have created delays. On Monday (June 10), Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville got into a heated argument with the “Digits” artist’s lawyer, Brian Steel.
Steel reportedly learned about a meeting between the judge, prosecutors, and Kenneth Copeland, also known as Lil Woody. During the conversation, the case’s key witness allegedly admitted to killing Donovan “Nut” Thomas Jr.
Glanville demanded Steel tell him how he learned about the exchange, prompting the attorney to refuse. “If you don’t tell me how you got this information, me and you are going to have some problems,” the magistrate angrily stated. “It’s disturbing how you’ve somehow gotten information in regards to the court’s private ex parte conversation with the party.”
At several points in Law & Crime’s broadcast, Glanville threatened to hold Steel in contempt — similar to how he did Copeland the week prior. Thug’s lawyer pushed back, “If that’s true, then [this is] coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for. So, I understand that you’re upset toward me, but I don’t know what I did. I’m doing what everyone should do.”
Steel added, “You influenced the witness based upon information belief, and I’d like to have that all on the record. I don’t know why that’s so hard to do.” Per 11 Alive, he was later arrested for failing to provide a source of the aforementioned information.
Thomas was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2015. He was purportedly a member of a Bloods subset known as the Inglewood Family and most notably affiliated with YFN Lucci. The “7.62” rapper dedicated his debut EP, Long Live Nut, to the slain friend.
It’s also worth mentioning that Thug’s father, Jeffery Williams Sr., accused Atlanta DA Fani Willis of having sexual affairs with Thomas in 2023. “That’s why she’s going at my son because it’s personal. She’s trying to make my son his killer,” the rapper’s dad explained. “They know who [Nut’s] killer is.”