// Let’s start off 4/20 the legal way — with a breakdown of Young Stoner Life’s (YSL) shenanigans. You may have also seen YSL in reference to Young Slime Life — it’s the same thing, just with a bit of blanguage.  SEX, better known as Young Thug, has been being referred to in the news lately as Jeffery Lamar Williams. Folks tend to use your legal name when you’re being hit with RICO charges and gang involvement. Speaking of gang, the first thing to mention is that, despite beginning the trial in January, they’ve still not managed to sit even one member on the jury.

There's no end in sight for the trial of rapper Young Thug and other members prosecutors say are part of the Young Slime Life gang.

Jury selection is now in its fourth month without a single juror seated. It could wrap up this summer. https://t.co/3AQO7btNHN

— Axios (@axios) April 18, 2023

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Hiccups are par the course for high-profile cases like these. When you’re dealing with celebrities being accused with the types of hard time being thrown at Jeffrey & Co., even the smallest of things can make headlines:

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A lawyer in the YSL RICO case called “cap” while addressing the judge in court 👀😳 pic.twitter.com/EpkkFLZzsq

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 17, 2023

This isn’t the only lawyer silliness — let’s not forget the beef over not buying lunch:

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CONTEMPT – The judge presiding in the #YSL #YoungThug RICO trial held an attorney in contempt and ordered him to pay $250 AND buy his colleagues lunch. Judge addressed it today saying Anastassious Manettas, Miles Farley's atty, has not bought the lunch. (not making this up) pic.twitter.com/nyUIMAOAEy

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) April 17, 2023

The costs levied against attorneys that didn’t get the memo on court decorum:

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Judge Glanville has been fining attorneys that don't pay attention and their phones must be on silent or they’ll be fined $10 per ring#YoungThug #YSL #YSLRico #JudgeGlanville pic.twitter.com/UF91sjiZA5

— LockharTVMedia (@LockharTVMedia) January 20, 2023

No, seriously. Attorneys are facing ultimatums of homework or jailtime for not getting their shit together:

Lawyer in YSL RICO case ordered by judge to write 17-page essay on professionalism by April 28th or do 20 days in prison‼️😳 pic.twitter.com/HED9JxrNjU

— RapTV (@Rap) April 19, 2023

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But it isn’t all silly. The case is making headlines for other reasons too — what better time to draw attention to working conditions than a high-stakes case?

This is a state wide issue too. Too many people are sitting in jail longer than they need to because the State refuses to pay State contracted conflict defenders more.

Attorneys planning to quit YSL trial if they’re not paid more https://t.co/KbQwbPJLfo

— Pulitzer Plies (@Izzy_TaughtMe) April 16, 2023

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Public defenders making $15K for working the YSL RICO case are complaining

“I could make more money working at Chick-Fil-A as a cashier” pic.twitter.com/fSULo7AnQ3

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 13, 2023

I’ll be the first one to support attorneys getting paid more to deal with this case. It isn’t like the defendants are making anything easier for them:

Young Thug caught in 4k conducting a drug deal in court 😩 one of his co defendants passed him a perc 😂😂 either his Co D was trying to set him up or these mfs the dumbest criminals in the world pic.twitter.com/e8aUZiq1gU

— Poetik Flakko (@FlakkoPoetik) January 20, 2023

And with the pushback they’re getting from the court, they could definitely use the pay bump:

When he tried to toss his phone to another attorney so they wouldn't be able to search it, he missed and hit a deputy, so they're also charging him with assaulting an officer.

— George Chidi (find me on Notes) (@neonflag) April 20, 2023

Believe it or not, this is still just the beginning of the trial. Remember, no jury yet. And with this many shenans under way, there is no doubt in my mind that things will shenaningan once oral arguments are given.

That whole YSL case is a Tubi script turned real life.

— 𝒮𝒾𝑒. (@Cindtrillella) April 20, 2023

In the meantime, Thugger has a few tracks in his discography that are apropos.

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

Topics

Courts, Jeffrey Williams, RICO, Young Thug, YSL