Young Thug Co-Defendants Continue With Trial After Rejecting Plea Deals

The YSL trial resumed on Monday after the remaining two co-defendants declined plea deals from the state.
Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, and Shannon Stillwell, also known as SB, are facing multiple charges related to racketeering conspiracy and participation in criminal street gang activity, along with drug and gun violations.
Prosecutors allege that Kendrick and Stillwell were part of a gang called YSL.
The two were originally being tried alongside rapper Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, and three others. Williams, Rodalius Ryan, Marquavius Huey and Quamarvious Nichols took plea deals last week.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker gave the jury instructions that the trial is continuing with the two defendants, and not to factor the absence of the other defendants in their judgment.
Whitaker also denied a mistrial motion filed by Nichols’ legal team since he is no longer on trial.
“That issue is now moot,” Whitaker said.
Nichols’ lawyers called for a mistrial after a witness read an unredacted exhibit during his testimony. Slimelife Shawty, whose real name is Wunnie Lee, read the unredacted printout of a social media caption rather than the redacted version shown on a monitor. The caption featured the hashtag “Free Qua.”
Defense attorneys said jurors were not supposed to know which defendants had previously been in prison.
Lee’s testimony resumed on Monday.
Last week, the state had asked Kendrick to plead guilty to conspiracy to violate Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and willful participation in street gang activity. They would have also reduced his murder charge to voluntary manslaughter under the agreement.
Prosecutors would have recommended he be sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years on probation on all charges, which he would have served concurrently.
The state would also agree to not prosecute Kendrick on the remaining charges he was facing.
Stillwell was offered a sentence of 40 years in prison and 20 years on probation. The two murder charges he is facing would have been reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
Williams was among the co-defendants who accepted a plea deal last week. His deal was non-negotiated, meaning prosecutors and defense could not reach an agreement on the sentencing. Both sides presented their case to Whitaker, who decided what sentence to hand down.
Williams was sentenced to five years in prison commuted to time served and 15 years on probation, followed by 20 years in prison. The backloaded prison sentence will be commuted if Williams does not violate the terms of his probation.
He pleaded guilty to most of the charges he was facing but pleaded no contest to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and participation in criminal street gang activity.
Williams was released from jail on Thursday night.
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