LIVE: Young Thug pleads guilty, sentenced to ; Yak Gotti: ‘Take this to the jury’

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, could take a non-negotiated plea deal in the YSL RICO trial. Williams was sworn in before the court shortly after 4 p.m. and is being questioned by the court about his plea.

The prosecution is asking for 45 years with 25 to serve in prison. The judge is currently deliberating.

Williams faced conspiracy to violate RICO, 2 counts of participation in criminal street gang activity, 3 counts of violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a machine gun.

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“This case is breaking all of the rules for how we typically have complex criminal trials,” said Joshua Schiffer, a legal expert and longtime lawyer.

Multiple plea deals have already been reached this week as a possible mistrial loomed.

“This jury, no one can predict how they’re receiving this. The only thing we absolutely know for sure is they’ve experienced a trial unlike any other in Georgia history,” said Schiffer.

Non-negotiated plea deal explained

A non-negotiated plea deal, often referred to as a “blind plea” or “open plea,” is an arrangement where a defendant pleads guilty without a pre-arranged sentencing agreement with the prosecution. Instead of negotiating the sentence, the defendant presents their plea directly to a judge, who then has full discretion over the final punishment.

This type of plea means the defendant waives their right to a trial, with no guaranteed sentence set in advance. The judge determines the sentence within the legal parameters, taking into account factors such as the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s criminal history.

Defendants may opt for a non-negotiated plea if they believe the judge might impose a lighter sentence than the prosecution’s offer. However, this approach carries significant risk, as it relinquishes control over the sentencing outcome.

Yak Gotti rejects deal: ‘Take this to the jury’

Yak Gotti has rejected the latest plea deal from the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in the YSL trial, according to his attorney.

Douglas Weinstein, who represents Gotti, stated his client “fully intends to take this to the jury and get our not guilty verdicts and go home.”

The trial has been on pause since last week, when a witness inadvertently read aloud a hashtag implicating one of the defendants, prompting defense attorneys to request a mistrial. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker stated that, if granted, the mistrial would be without prejudice, allowing the state to retry the case. 

Since the incident, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has been in negotiations with defense attorneys about plea deals. Details about the potential deals were limited until Tuesday, when one of the defendants accepted a plea in exchange for most of his charges being dropped.

Previous plea deals in YSL RICO trial

The developments come a day after two co-defendants in the trial entered plea deals for their charges.

Rodalius Ryan, also known as Lil Rod, and Marquavius Huey, known as Qua, took deals Wednesday afternoon in the Fulton County court.

Ryan, 18, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to violate the state’s anti-racketeering law. His plea on Wednesday meant that his 10-year sentence for the RICO charge would be commuted to time already served, enabling him to concentrate on appealing a murder conviction he received at the age of 15.

One of Ryan’s attorneys, Leah Abbasi, said they “categorically and adamantly deny that YSL is the criminal dangerous street gang which it’s been made out to be.” She said her client was making the best decision for his future.

Huey’s plea deal came shortly after Ryan’s. Initially indicted on 19 charges including violating the RICO Act, multiple counts of armed robbery, and participation in a criminal street gang, Huey saw some charges dropped or reduced.

One of Huey’s attorneys, Careton Matthews Sr., said they “emphatically and categorically deny” some of the allegations read out by the prosecutor but they recognize that there is enough evidence to support the counts he was pleading guilty to. He also pointed out that his client has already been in custody for about four years, which should count against his nine years in custody.

The judge sentenced him to 25 years, of which he will only serve nine in prison, and cautioned him to not violate the terms of his agreement.

“You are getting a huge opportunity to turn your life around,” she told him, noting that he will likely be out of prison in just a few years.

On Tuesday, 29-year-old Quamarvious Nichols, accepted a plea deal. All but one charge against Nichols were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea to a RICO charge.

YSL member on trial: Remaining defendants in the YSL RICO Trial

After the plea deals, only two defendants remain on trial: Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick, and Shannon Stillwell.

Deamonte Kendrick (Yak Gotti): Conspiracy to violate RICO, murder (2015 murder of Donovan Thomas), participation in criminal street gang activity, 3 counts of violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm.

Shannon Stillwell (Shannon Jackson or SB): Conspiracy to violate RICO, 2 counts of murder (2015 murder of Donovan Thomas Jr. and 2022 murder of Shymel Drinks), 2 counts of participation in criminal street gang activity, 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

FOX 5 Atlanta has been following this trial for nearly a year following a jury selection process that took almost 10 months. It’s now the longest running trial in the history of Georgia.