The recent legal journey of Grammy winner Jeffery Lamar Williams, known popularly as “Young Thug,” began with his arrest in May of 2022. Nearly two and a half years later, a plea bargain marked a key moment, though not a definitive end, in Williams’ trial.
Williams’ trial garnered significant media coverage, offering the world a unique blend of law and pop culture. Of particular interest to the CSU College of Law student are the charges brought, certain trial proceedings, and Williams’ ultimate plea bargain. Besides Williams himself, some key players in this story are Judge Paige Whitaker, who presided over the end of the trial in Fulton County Superior Court, and Brian Steel, Williams’ attorney.
The charges
Williams and several others in his Young Stoner Life (YSL) record label were charged under Title 16, Chapter 14 of Georgia Code: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and several other violations of criminal law. Statutes of this sort are often used to criminally charge members of organized crime, including, famously, John Gotti in 1986 and another artist, Daniel Hernandez (Tekashi 6ix9ine) in 2015.
GA Code § 16-14-4(a) reads as follows: “It shall be unlawful for any person, through a pattern of racketeering activity or proceeds derived therefrom, to acquire or maintain, directly or indirectly, any interest in or control of any enterprise, real property, or personal property of any nature, including money.”
Criminal Law students will identify the prohibited conduct as “acquir[ing]” or “maintain[ing]” interest in any enterprise, real property, or personal property through racketeering. These were the charges Young Thug and many others under the YSL label faced.
GA Code § 16-14-3 defines racketeering activity as: “to commit, to attempt to commit, or to solicit, coerce, or intimidate another person to commit any crime which is chargeable by indictment under the laws of this state involving: [43 different examples].”
Fulton County prosecutors were tasked with proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Williams had engaged in the above conduct, prohibited by Georgia law. Brian Steel, Williams’ attorney, has a background in public defense and is currently a partner at a renowned Atlanta-based criminal defense firm.
Trial Proceedings
As part of Fulton County’s case, prosecutors introduced as evidence Williams’ own lyrics, which were played in court for the record. To form the argument, a prosecutor need only argue that Williams speaks autobiographically.
His songs “Anybody,” “Eww,” and “Slime Sh*t” and several others were among those included in his indictment. The defense played an excerpt of Williams’ music video for his song “Lifestyle” to suggest that he was engaged in artistic expression, not organized crime. When these moments happened in the courtroom, they quickly spread across social media. In one of the most iconic courtroom moments of the century, Williams and his attorney can be seen enjoying Young Thug’s incomparable flow on his song “Halftime.”
When considering song lyrics against defendants as evidence, courts will balance the probative value of the lyrics against their potential to prejudice the defendant. Missing from their analysis is the simple presumption that a rap song isn’t an autobiography. The Proclaimers famously sang that they’d walk 500 miles (and 500 more); John Lennon said he was a walrus. True, those lyrics don’t claim to break any laws. Also true, rap as a genre and a history features motifs of crime and violence, some of which are true to life. Still, the overlap doesn’t turn every line into a confession.
Some states have begun to resist the use of lyrics against an artist facing criminal charges. California was the first state to challenge the use of rap lyrics as evidence, signing the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, AB 2799 into law in 2022. The same year, at the federal level, the House of Representatives introduced legislation aptly titled the Restoring Artistic Protection (RAP) Act, which is still pending.
Plea Bargain
While everyone is entitled to their day in court, it comes as no surprise to law students that the plea bargain is a fundamental gear powering American courts. An overwhelming majority of cases end in plea bargains where the defense and prosecution can agree to charges. Williams’ case, though exceptional in many ways, was no exception to this pattern.
Williams was arrested in May of 2022. He released “Business is Business” while incarcerated, and his trial began in November, 2023. The original presiding judge was replaced, and a second judge recused herself. Judge Paige Whitaker oversaw the end of the proceedings, denying Williams bond and refusing to call for a mistrial.
In late October of 2024, several co-defendants agreed to plea deals. On Halloween, Williams pled guilty to guns and firearm charges and no contest to racketeering. He was sentenced to 15 years probation.
Since his plea deal, Williams has spoken out to the law student population, encouraging aspiring lawyers to emulate Brian Steel. In a video showing Brian Steel with Williams on FaceTime, Williams stressed the important role lawyers play in defending people from a sometimes voracious legal system. He expressed gratitude to Brian Steel, and expressed to students the value of defense work.
Comments