A co-defendant in Young Thug‘s lengthy YSL RICO trial has opted for a plea deal amid swirling speculation of a potential mistrial. Reports indicate that 29-year-old Quamarvious Nichols entered a guilty plea on Tuesday, October 29, to a single count of conspiracy under Georgia’s RICO statute. In return for his plea, prosecutors dropped six additional charges against him, including a murder count. Nichols received a sentence of seven years in prison, followed by 13 years of probation—a significant reduction from the life sentence he initially faced.
Judge Paige Whitaker voiced to Nichols, “Stay out of all kinds of trouble.” “Make this a birthday present to yourself, to your wife and your family,” he said, referring to his forthcoming 30th birthday. Nichols’ attorneys reclaimed his innocence following charges of violence while also taking accountability for two “drug events” in 2017-2018. Nonetheless, Nichols faced accusations of killing alleged YFN Lucci associate Shymel Drinks in 2022. He is not obligated to testify against his former co-defendants in a trial that has now become the longest in Georgia’s history.
Currently, five co-defendants remain in the case alongside Thug, all facing allegations linked to the 2022 murder of Drinks. Thug has pleaded not guilty to eight charges within a sweeping 65-count RICO indictment. Earlier this month, Judge Whitaker expressed the potential to declare a mistrial without prejudice due to a prosecutorial error. It remains uncertain if Nichols’ plea deal will affect the chances of a mistrial.
Defense Seeks Mistrial Over Instagram Evidence in Nichols’ Case
Former defendant Wunnie Lee addressed the jury by sharing a segment of an Instagram post that included the hashtag #FreeQua, a detail that was meant to be redacted. Nichols’ defense team argued for the hashtag’s exclusion, asserting that it hinted at their client’s prior incarceration for a different offense. While prosecutors claimed the identity of ‘Qua’ was uncertain, the jury is prohibited from knowing whether Nichols or co-defendant Marquavius Huey is currently in custody.
Nichols’ lawyer, Nicole Westmoreland, stated, “The jury has repeatedly heard about Mr. Nichols being in jail, being in prison. And you cannot unring that bell. We would ask for a mistrial.” “It is painfully obvious that the state is not prepping their witnesses.”
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