Prosecutors are looking to call “around 300 witnesses” in the upcoming YSL RICO trial.
Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love told Judge Ural Glanville of their plans during a hearing Thursday. The trial, which involves Young Thug and Gunna, is scheduled to begin on Jan. 9, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A judge previously denied Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ request to delay the trial until March 2023, arguing that a postponement would “protect the rights” of all 28 defendants associated with the 56-count indictment since all of them “need to be tried together.”
Witnesses have become something of a recurring topic of conversation over the last few months. Prosecutors filed a motion in July stating witnesses claimed they were being intimidated over their involvement in the case, leading to “fear not only for their own lives, but for their families’ lives should they testify.”
The motion was filed one day after prosecutors accused Thug and his YSL associates of making “numerous threats to kill or harm witnesses.”
A witness, who has been identified as a “YSL associate,” was placed in protective custody in August after “a document and part of a cooperating witness’ statement” was leaked online. “As a result [of the leak], the state now has grave concerns about the safety of that named witness and other potential witnesses in this trial,” Willis said.
Thug has been charged with conspiracy to violate the RICO act and participation in criminal street gang activity, while Gunna faces a conspiring to violate RICO charge. They have been incarcerated since May 9 and May 11, respectively.
