As jury selection in the YSL RICO case approaches its eighth month, Young Thug has been denied bond for a fourth time.
Per ABC News and WSB-TV, Thug and fellow YSL rapper Yak Gotti were denied their requests on Friday during a court hearing. Thug's attorney Brian Steele told ABC earlier this week that he should not be considered a flight risk and has been experiencing health issues during his time behind bars.
"Mr. Williams is not a risk to commit a crime and he's not a risk to flee the jurisdiction and that's what bond is about," said Steele, who described his client as "sleep-deprived." He added that Thug has a schedule that sees him up as early as 4 a.m. every morning as part of the trial, although he doesn't return to the detention center until much later in the day. Steele expressed other concerns regarding Thugger's health, citing limited exercise and lack of sunlight.
As reported by WSB-TV in May, Thug had a brief medical emergency in court that saw him taken to hospital. “I know he’s had some difficulty of a similar sort at the Cobb County Jail a few months ago, and so I’m obviously concerned about his wellbeing,” one of his lawyers said at the time. "Mr. Williams is sleep deprived, mandated to wake up on court days between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. and not having more than five hours of sleep per night. ... By the end of the week, Mr. Williams is fighting to pay attention to the goings on in his case.”
Thug was denied bond three times last year following his arrest in May 2022 on eight counts as part of a sweeping RICO indictment against him and 27 individuals said to have been involved with the alleged YSL gang.
Jury selection in Thug's trial has so far lasted over seven months. There are almost 750 prospective jurors in the case. Those who could be selected are expected to be asked questions regarding their personal views on rap music and tattoos. The process could take at least another month.
The bond denial is another blow for Thug in the long-gestating case following the arrival of his first new music since his incarceration. His latest album Business Is Business, which was executive produced by Metro Boomin, debuted at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200, giving him his third consecutive top-five album on the chart. Producer Southside said the project came together in just two weeks.
"We moved quick," Southside said earlier this month of Business Is Business. "We worked real fast. Shout out to Metro, Metro the GOAT."
