Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, filed a motion on Monday (June 17) to remove Chief Superior Court Judge Ural D. Glanville from overseeing the rapper’s RICO case. The request cited alleged misconduct and concerns over impartiality, and called for a mistrial in the high-profile litigation.
Steel claimed that Glanville demonstrated bias favoring the prosecution, as evidenced by incidents on June 10 — when he was detained — and throughout the trial’s duration. The accusations also referenced an undisclosed ex parte meeting between Glanville and key witness Kenneth “YSL Woody” Copeland, which the legal expert argued could compromise the proceedings’ integrity.
“The court violated the law by failing its duty to recuse from presiding over this contempt proceeding,” the motion read. “In such proceedings where the announcement of punishment is delayed, and where the contumacious conduct was directed toward the judge or where the judge reacted to the contumacious conduct in such manner as to become involved in the controversy, the judge may give the attorney notice of specific charges, but the hearing, including the attorney’s opportunity to be heard, must be conducted by another judge.”
The filing followed an incident earlier in June when Steel was held in contempt of court and briefly detained. He was ordered to spend 20 days in Fulton County Jail, served over weekends, after refusing to reveal his source for information about the supposed meeting between Judge Glanville, prosecutors, and Copeland.
“So, I understand that you’re upset [with] me, but I don’t know what I did. I’m doing what everyone should do,” Steel responded after being interrogated by Glanville. “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.”
An emergency motion granted Steel bond on June 12 and ultimately allowed him to avoid jail time while his contempt charge is under appeal.