Young Thug Trial: Witness At Center Of Controversy Suggests He May Not Testify
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker informed Kenneth “Woody” Copeland he would be held in contempt if he refused to testify again in Young Thug’s RICO trial on Tuesday (August 6). Copeland claimed he wasn’t sure if he would testify when the trial resumes next week.
“Depend on how I wake up,” Copeland responded when asked if he’d testify, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jozsef Papp.
Copeland was the key witness who spoke with the case’s former judge and prosecutors in a secret meeting that derailed Young Thug’s trial. Defense attorneys believed Judge Ural Glanville and the prosecution coerced Copeland into testifying in June.
The secret meeting created legal chaos, resulting in Judge Glanville’s recusal from the case. Judge Rachel Krause ordered Judge Glanville’s exit in July.
“This Court has no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter if the recusal motions were denied, but the ‘necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system’ weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case,” Krause ruled.
Judge Shukura Ingram was assigned to take over the case from Judge Glanville. She quickly recused herself due to a potential conflict of interest. Judge Whitaker was tasked with handling the complicated case following Ingram’s decision.
The defense sought a mistrial, but Judge Whitaker seemed determined to push forward with Young Thug’s trial. Judge Whitaker planned for testimony to resume on August 12. The trial has been on hold since the first week of July. It started in 2023.
Young Thug has remained in jail since his 2022 arrest. Judge Whitaker denied his renewed motion for bond.
“I’m not going to reconsider any bond issues that have already been considered and ruled upon by another court absent legitimate changed circumstances,” she said in July.
Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel filed a motion to disqualify the lead prosecutors in the RICO case. Judge Whitaker has yet to rule on the matter.