In a dramatic update at the ongoing YSL RICO trial, Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, was taken into custody and held in contempt of court.
This shocking incident unfolded during Monday’s court proceedings, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on June 10.
The tension in the courtroom reached a boiling point when Steel confronted Judge Ural Glanville about a private conversation that reportedly took place earlier that morning between the judge, prosecutors, and one of the state’s key witnesses. Steel’s source of this information remained undisclosed, leading to a fierce exchange with Judge Glanville.
Steel’s refusal to reveal his source escalated the situation. He was escorted out of the courtroom after Judge Glanville remarked that Steel had obtained information he should not have had access to. This bold move left the courtroom in shock as deputies moved to take Steel into custody.
The controversy centered around witness Kenneth Copeland, known as Lil Woody, who had been jailed over the weekend for refusing to testify despite having an immunity deal. Steel argued that Judge Glanville had breached protocol by communicating with a sworn witness without his presence, a point he made clear before being removed.
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Despite the dramatic removal, District Attorney Adriane Love intervened, requesting that Steel be allowed back into the courtroom for the rest of the day’s proceedings. Judge Glanville eventually permitted Steel’s return, though the threat of contempt still loomed if Steel failed to disclose his source by the end of the business day.
The backdrop to this courtroom drama includes Copeland’s previous refusal to answer even basic questions on the stand, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. His non-compliance led Judge Glanville to hold him in contempt, enforcing the immunity deal in exchange for his testimony against Young Thug.
