The trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug ended with the acquittal of two defendants, Deamonte Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell, on murder and gang charges. The verdict comes nearly two years after jury selection began.
Kendrick was found not guilty of all charges, while Stillwell was convicted only of gun possession. The defendant had been charged in a 2015 drive-by shooting outside an Atlanta barbershop that killed Donovan Thomas Jr., also known as “Big Nut.”
Young Thug, who pleaded guilty to gang and drug charges in October, is still serving probation.
The trial was plagued with problems, including issues with the prosecution’s evidence. The defense argued that the state relied on faulty evidence, including song lyrics and social media posts, to create a misleading narrative about young men who turned to music to escape economic hardship and difficult pasts.
Critics had criticized Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her use of the state’s anti-racketeering law, which she also used to bring charges against President-elect Donald Trump.
The verdict is a major setback for Willis, but defense attorneys say it was a fair trial. Stillwell will face reduced sentence on gun possession charge, and Kendrick has other pending charges that he hopes to get released from jail soon.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/young-thug-ysl-yak-gotti-trial-e75ecab66f89eaf9f461233a379a914a