In a surprising turn, Atlanta rapper Young Thug, real name Jeffery Lamar Williams, has agreed to change his plea to guilty in Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial. If approved by the judge, this decision will conclude his high-profile case, which has captivated court audiences since jury selection began in January 2023.

The plea arrangement nearly fell apart when Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker asked if Young Thug accepted a non-negotiated plea, meaning there was no prearranged sentencing agreement between prosecutors and defense, leaving his punishment solely in the judge’s hands. Following a brief recess, both parties returned to finalize the deal.

PLEA AGREEMENTS MET

The plea comes after three co-defendants also reached plea agreements this week, possibly motivated by speculation that Judge Whitaker might declare a mistrial. Young Thug, now 33, was originally indicted in 2022 on charges of leading Young Slime Life (YSL), an alleged street gang accused of violent crimes, including murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and carjacking.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis invoked Georgia’s RICO statute, claiming YSL operated as a gang with ties to the national Bloods network.

Initially, 27 co-defendants were indicted. However, due to defendants accepting plea deals and others seeking separate trials, only six co-defendants remained by the time opening statements began in November 2023. This week, Judge Whitaker approved plea deals for three defendants: Quamarvious Nichols, 29; Marquavius Huey, 28; and Rodalius Ryan, 18. All pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, with Huey also accepting reduced charges. Their sentences include probation and time served, except for Ryan, who will continue serving a life sentence for a 2019 murder despite his RICO sentence being commuted to time served.

CO-DEFENDANTS STILL UP IN AIR ON PLEA DEAL

It remains uncertain whether the remaining co-defendants, Deamonte Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell, will negotiate similar plea deals or proceed with the trial.

This conclusion for Young Thug’s involvement follows nearly two years of a complex trial marked by twists, including a recused judge, courtroom outbursts, and bizarre incidents like a deputy allegedly smuggling contraband to a defendant and a hacker interrupting court proceedings with “Free Thug!” on Zoom. Judge Whitaker had previously anticipated that the trial could extend well into the following year as the prosecution continued its case.

The case’s most recent turn came after a critical error by prosecutors. Last week, state witness and rapper Wunnie Lee (Slimelife Shawty) accidentally viewed an unredacted social media post in court, which referenced the hashtag #freequa, likely connected to Nichols or Huey. Since juries are not to know if defendants are in custody to avoid prejudice, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland argued for a mistrial, saying, “We’re not going to be able to unring this bell, your honor.” Judge Whitaker acknowledged she would consider the request, leading both sides to focus on finalizing plea deals.

Young Thug first gained widespread fame in 2014 with his song “Stoner,” later founding YSL Records in 2016 and amassing three No. 1 Billboard albums. Known for collaborations with Travis Scott, Post Malone, Meek Mill, and Drake, he also won a Grammy in 2019 for co-writing Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” Young Thug has been in custody since his arrest in May 2022.