Defendant in YSL gang and racketeering trial stabbed while awaiting jury verdict
One of the two men who was indicted along with rapper Young Thug and is currently awaiting a jury verdict was reportedly stabbed in jail but is expected to be present in court on Monday, according to his lawyer Doug Weinstein.
The individual in question, Deamonte Kendrick, who goes by the stage name Yak Gotti, was involved in a altercation on Sunday that resulted in him being stabbed. Natalie Ammons, a spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that Kendrick and another detainee were involved in a fight at the jail’s south annex in Union City, Ga. Kendrick sustained minor injuries from a sharp object and is receiving treatment. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell are among the 28 individuals who were indicted along with Young Thug in May 2022 on various charges, including conspiracy to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The trial, which began almost two years ago, involved six of the defendants, with four of them, including Young Thug, pleading guilty in October and receiving probation. Stillwell and Kendrick opted to reject plea deals and their lawyers chose not to present any evidence or witnesses.
The jury commenced deliberations last Tuesday and continued until Wednesday before breaking for the Thanksgiving holiday. They are set to reconvene on Monday to determine the fate of Kendrick and Stillwell on charges related to gang activity, murder, drugs, and firearms.
Kendrick and Stillwell are implicated in the 2015 killing of Donovan Thomas Jr., also known as “Big Nut,” in an Atlanta barbershop. Additionally, Stillwell faces charges in connection with the 2022 murder of Shymel Drinks, which prosecutors allege was carried out in retaliation for the murders of two YSL associates. Prosecutors have claimed that Young Thug co-founded a criminal street gang called Young Slime Life (YSL) in 2012, which they allege is affiliated with the national Bloods gang.
The trial has faced numerous challenges and delays, with jury selection lasting nearly 10 months. Stillwell was previously stabbed at the Fulton County jail, leading to a pause in trial proceedings. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker took over the case after Chief Judge Ural Glanville was removed due to improper conduct. Whitaker has accelerated the trial proceedings, overseeing a more efficient process compared to previous delays.
The trial continues to unfold as the jury deliberates the fate of Kendrick and Stillwell in this high-profile case involving Young Thug and alleged criminal activities.
