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New judge sets ground rules in long-running gang, extortion case against rapper Young Thug

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The new judge presiding over the racketeering and gang case of rapper Young Thug and several other defendants says she plans to move quickly with the trial, which has been dragging on for more than a year.

ATLANTA – The new judge presiding over extortion and the gang accusation of rapper Young Thug and several other defendants said Friday that she plans to move quickly with the trial, which has been dragging on for more than a year.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker held a hearing with prosecutors and defense attorneys to understand any outstanding issues she needed to resolve and set some ground rules.

Whitaker was given the case after the first judge who oversaw it, Chief Judge Ural Glanville, was removed. Two defendants asked him to recuse himself, citing a meeting the judge held with prosecutors and a state witness.

Jury selection began in January 2023 and it took almost 10 months. Opening statements were in November and the prosecution has been presenting its case ever since, calling dozens of witnesses.

Whitaker said he was “parachuting in” and not following the case.

The case is currently on hold, with jurors returning in August. Whitaker said he plans to begin the trial promptly at 8:45 a.m. She also asked lawyers for a “realistic” list of witnesses, including what they expect those witnesses to say.

She noted that she had the authority to exclude evidence and said she could use it.

“I need us to try to be efficient with jury time,” she said.

Young Thug, the Grammy winner whose name is Jeffery Williams, was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He is also accused of gang, drug and weapons crimes.

He is standing trial with five other people indicted with him.

Brian Steel, Young Thug’s attorney, said his client is innocent and seeks to clear his name through a fair trial.



This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story

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