ATLANTA — The Supreme Court of Georgia has reversed a Fulton County judge's order of contempt against Brian Steel, a lawyer for rapper Young Thug in the ongoing YSL RICO trial, for refusing to disclose how he found out about a controversial ex-parte meeting between the judge, the State and a key witness in the trial.
In June, Steel was held in contempt, arrested, and ordered by then-presiding Judge Ural Glanville to serve 20 days in the Fulton County Jail. He later appealed the order and was granted bond, avoiding jail time while the contempt charge was being appealed.
On Tuesday, the Georgia Supreme Court officially reversed the contempt order, ruling that "the evidence did not support a contempt finding because he did not interfere with the court’s administration of justice, his information was protected by attorney-client privilege, and due process required the judge to recuse from the contempt proceeding."
The ruling states that a different judge should have presided over the contempt hearing since Glanville was involved in the alleged "controversy."
“Because the court delayed punishment, the alleged disobedience was directed toward the court, and the court was involved in the controversy that formed the basis of the contempt, due process required the judge to recuse from the contempt proceeding,” the ruling said. “We therefore reverse the contempt imposed by the trial court.”
Steel's defense attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, celebrated the reversal, saying, "Justice has prevailed!"
Glanville was eventually recused from the trial. It has since been taken over by Judge Paige Whitaker, who is trying to move the state's longest trial forward as quickly as possible.