FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Young Thug's legal team motioned to limit language in the questionnaire potential jurors receive, according to court records filed on Nov. 29. New motions were recently filed in the Superior Court of Fulton County in the RICO case again Jeffery Williams, popularly known as Atlanta rapper Young Thug.
District Attorney Fani Willis has accused the rapper of being the ringleader of the Young Slime Life gang.
Young Thug's defense team is taking issue with the use of YSL and how the prosecution uses the word gang. The team is also asking the judge to prohibit race-related questions from being asked, among other questions they said are leading.
"The prosecution writes that YSL is, in fact, a Criminal Street Gang. That is a point of contention and is denied as applied to Mr. Williams," the defense writes in its motion. "To permit this question to be asked to the jury venire panel would unlawfully presume that the prosecution has already met an essential element of crimes alleged in the Indictment."
Lawyers for the rapper said YSL is a record label and the prosecution must prove it is a gang and that Young Thug played a role in gang-related violence beyond a reasonable doubt. To ask a jury about "facts that are yet to be proved" prejudged the case, court records allege.
Here is the questions the defense takes issue with:
- Do you know someone who is, was, or may be an associate of the Young Slime Life (AKA YSL) criminal street gang other than a named defendant?
- Do you have a family member or close friend who knows a named defendant, a YSL criminal street gang associate, or the family member of a named defendant or a YSL criminal street gang associate?
- Do you believe that the race of a criminal defendant would prevent you from being a fair and impartial juror to all parties?
- Does anyone have such strongly held beliefs on race and the justice system that they would be unable to be fair and impartial?
- Do you believe that police officers and prosecutors in Fulton County unfairly arrest and prosecute crimes based on race?
- Do you dislike or hate the police?
- Would you believe the sworn testimony of a police officer?
- Do you have such a poor opinion of police that you would believe almost anyone over the sworn testimony of a police officer?
- Do you feel that a witness who has been in trouble with the law should not be believed?
- Do you feel that just the nature of the crimes charged in the Indictment would prevent you from being a fair and impartial juror in the case?
- Do you believe that you cannot realistically consider the evidence that will be presented at trial due to a presently held opinion?
- Do you believe that if you were selected to be a juror in this case you would be unable or unwilling to render a verdict solely on the evidence presented at trial?
- Do you fell (sic), for any reason, that you cannot sit in judgement of another person?
- Do you know of anything that would improperly impact your decision on guilt or innocence in this case?
- If you were told that a defendant could go to prison if convicted, would that impact your ability to be a fair and impartial juror
- If the State enters a plea deal with one or more of the named defendants, would that impact your ability to be a fair and impartial juror for the remaining defendants?
- Because of who or what the defendant are or what they may have done that you would be afraid to return a guilty verdict if you felt the evidence supported a guilty verdict?
- If the State proves each element of the alleged offenses charged beyond a reasonable doubt, would you have any difficulty in returning a verdict of guilty?
- Would you refuse to consider rap lyrics as evidence of criminal street gang activity?
- Do you believe that it is unfair to consider rap lyrics as evidence in a criminal case?
- Would you have a problem letting the Judge know that another juror refuses to deliberate?
- Do you believe that criminal street gangs are unfairly targeted by law enforcement?
- Do you believe that prosecuting criminal street gangs is racially prejudicial?
- Do you agree with or support the defund the police movement?
- Do you believe that the public is better served when law enforcement focuses on something other that (sic) criminal street gangs?
- Would you have a problem following the instructions of the Court?
- Would you have a problem flowing (sic) the law if you disagreed with the law?
- Would you pick and choose which laws you would follow and which ones you would not?
- Do you consider yourself to be somewhat anti-establishment?
A judge will ultimately decide to strike the questions from the list presented to potential jurors. This request will likely be under consideration in the next motion hearing scheduled for Dec. 15. Another motion hearing is also scheduled for Dec. 17.