Judge Rejects Young Thug Mistrial Bid, Criticizes ‘Haphazard’ Prosecutors

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker denied Young Thug‘s request for a mistrial in his ongoing RICO case, a blow to the rapper’s defense. However, Whitaker sharply criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case, which accuses the YSL rapper of leading a criminal gang. HipHopDX reported that during a tense moment on the court’s livestream, Whitaker sharply rebuked prosecutors, stating, “I don’t want to malign the prosecutor standing in front of me right now, so I’m not going to say the possible things it could be.” She continued, “But it is baffling to me that somebody with the number of years of experience that you have, time after time after time, continues to seemingly and purposefully hide the ball to the extent you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can.”

As Whitaker’s frustration continued, she said, “I really don’t want to believe that it is purposeful, but honestly, after a certain number of times, you start to wonder how it could be anything but that. Unless it is just that you are so unorganized that you are throwing this case together as you try it.” She further elaborated, “This case is being made much more difficult for everybody because of the haphazard way in which it is being presented.” Whitaker then paused proceedings for a brief recess to review the mistrial request but ultimately ruled against it.

Lil Woody Takes the stand

Young Thug’s RICO trial, Georgia’s longest on record, has been filled with dramatic twists since its start in November 2023. Central to the proceedings is star witness Kenneth ‘Lil Woody’ Copeland, who secured immunity in exchange for his testimony. Nonetheless, Copeland admitted in court to being a habitual liar. He said, “Like I told you before y’all called me to trial, I have lied. I made things up. I told you this before y’all brought me in this courtroom, and I’m telling you now.” He added, “You asked me about 2015. I had got my life together. Y’all are trying to put this on my conscience, y’all are trying to put people’s lives in my hands,” “I don’t wanna be here. Y’all have pressured me, I’m tired of y’all, cause y’all know y’all wrong and y’all Black people doing this to us.”