Attorney-client meetings just got a whole lot easier for rapper Young Thug and his lawyer, Brian Steel. On Monday, June 10th, Steel was ordered to be held in contempt by Judge Ural Glanville at the Fulton County Jail. According to some reports, Steel received permission to share a cell with his client, so their preparation for trial could continue. This shocking turn of events followed Steel’s confrontation of Judge Glanville, after an unknown source notified the defense attorney of an ex parte meeting including the prosecution’s star witness, Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland.
During the alleged meeting, the judge and prosecutors threatened Copeland with jail time if he refused to testify. Copeland was a known Young Thug affiliate, who refused to testify against him on the stand the week prior, despite being offered immunity. Copeland was set to be the star witness against the rapper, who faces RICO charges. These charges are in connection with Young Thug’s affiliation with YSL Records, a record company which allegedly engaged in racketeering and gang activity.
In addition to alleged coercion and witness intimidation, the meeting supposedly included a confession by Copeland for the murder of Donovan “Big Nutt” Thomas, a murder which Young Thug is accused of partaking in. If the unknown source who reported this ex parte meeting is truthful, this meeting would undoubtedly be grounds for a mistrial. Brian Steel attempted to file a motion for mistrial upon his discovery of this meeting, which was met with anger by Judge Glanville. When Steel refused to tell Judge Glanville who the source of his information was, Judge Glanville ordered that Steel be held in contempt.
Brian Steel’s jail time was short lived, however. As of June 13th, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that Steel will no longer have to serve jail time after he was granted bond. In the State of Minnesota, statute 588.10 outlines the punishment for contempt of court being a fine of no more than $250, imprisonment for no more than 6 months, or both.