ATLANTA — Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, received a directed verdict on Wednesday on some of his charges in the YSL trial, effectively dismissing them.
Judge Paige Whitaker ruled for the directed verdict on three counts against Kendrick, all concerning drug possession and/or intent to distribute.
A directed verdict is one where, as Cornell University's Legal Information Institute explains, the judge determines "there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable jury to reach a different conclusion." In this case, the conclusion was that there was not sufficient evidence for those three charges for them to be presented to a jury to consider convicting Kendrick.
Judge Whitaker explained to court that her standard for issuing a directed verdict goes beyond even the familiar "reasonable doubt" standard before a jury. She must take the evidence "in the light that is most favorable to the prosecution," but that even under this standard she felt there was no way "a rational trier of fact could find the essential elements" of the drug possession charges.
She denied a motion for directed verdict that had been sought by Kendrick's attorney on the other charges he faces, including the RICO charge that has been at the center of the long-running YSL case.
Kendrick's attorneys had argued in the motion for a directed verdict, on the counts that he was granted one, that the State had presented no evidence he was in possession of any drugs which were found during a search of Young Thug's home.
"A person who was merely present at the scene of the commission of a crime at the time is not necessarily guilty of consent in and concurrence in the commission of the crime unless the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that such person committed the alleged crime, helped in the actual perpetration of the crime, or participated in the criminal endeavor," the filing submitted by Kendrick's lawyers stated.
You can see that full filing at the bottom of this article.
After 28 men were originally indicted in the YSL case two years ago with Fulton County prosecutors alleging a sprawling gang operation under the "Young Slime Life" umbrella, the case has slowly been whittled down through severances (instances in which defendants were moved off the case for various reasons, such as not having legal representation) and guilty pleas.
Just two defendants, Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell, remain as the case appears headed for a jury after the state and defense rested this week.