Young Thug has filed a fourth motion for bond in the RICO case against his Young Slime Life (YSL) collective, arguing that the ongoing trial is taking a toll on his health.
Thugâs attorney, Brian Steel, filed the latest motion this week in an attempt to spring his client from Fulton County Jail, where heâs been âlanguishingâ since May 2022.
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In his motion, Steel maintained the Atlanta rapperâs innocence and argued that he has âpreviously put forth compelling evidence, without doubt, that conditions can be imposed which permit bond to be set.â
The lawyer told ABC News that Thug (real name Jeffery Williams) does not pose a risk to society and should be released from jail as he awaits trial.
âMr. Williams is not a risk to commit a crime and heâs not a risk to flee the jurisdiction and thatâs what bond is about,â he said.
Steel added that his client, who has been present in court since January when jury selection began, is âsleep-deprivedâ because he wakes up at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. and does not return to jail until late, a routine that is interfering with his ability to prepare for the trial.
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A viral courtroom video from earlier this year showed the Punk rapper hunched over his desk and resting his head on the table. The footage sparked concern from fans who interpreted it as him looking either defeated or simply exhausted.
While he awaits Judge Ural Glanvilleâs ruling, Young Thugâs chances of being granted temporary release from jail appear slim as he has previously been denied bond three times.
In his second bond denial last June, the judge expressed significant concerns about the rapper being both a âdanger to the communityâ and a âflight risk.â
The 31-year-old faces eight charges in the sprawling case against YSL, who prosecutors allege is not a record label but a âcriminal street gangâ behind a serious of violent crimes in the Atlanta area dating back to at least 2015.
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These include conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in criminal street gang activity, along with a string of drug and weapons offenses.
If his latest bond motion is denied, Thug will likely remain behind bars for at least several more months as the jury selection process in the trial, which has been plagued by delays and disruptions, could drag on until the summer.
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According to Atlanta Daily World, 1,200 potential jurors have been summoned since January. About 300 more jurors will be called on Friday (April 28), followed by a seventh group in May.