A Georgia judge on Thursday once again denied bond to Gunna, meaning the rapper will likely remain in jail until a trial next year in a sweeping criminal case against Young Thug and other alleged Atlanta gang members.
At a hearing in Fulton County Superior Court on Thursday, Judge Ural Glanville refused to reconsider his earlier decision to deny bond to the rapper (real name Sergio Kitchens) over concerns about witness intimidation. Young Thug was denied bond for similar reasons at a hearing last month.
In a statement to Billboard, Gunna’s co-lead counsel Steve Sadow said he and his client were “very disappointed” in the outcome, saying they had produced “substantial evidence” that Gunna deserved to be released.
“The prosecution again produced no evidence at all; instead, it chose to rely on vague and non-specific allegations and speculation through the statements of the prosecutor alone,” Sadow said. “Gunna deserves better from our justice system.”
The new push for bond came two months after prosecutors unveiled an 88-page indictment against Young Thug, Gunna and 26 others, claiming that their “YSL” was not a record label called “Young Stoner Life” but really a violent street gang called “Young Slime Life” that had wrought “havoc” on Atlanta for the past decade. The charges included allegations of murder, carjacking, armed robbery, drug dealing and illegal firearm possession.
At a hearing in May, Judge Glanville refused to release Gunna on bond – seemingly swayed by arguments from prosecutors that Young Thug and Gunn were the ones “directing the violence” and would be able to intimidate witnesses if released ahead of trial. A month later, the judge denied bond to Young Thug on similar ground, despite impassioned testimony from music executive Kevin Liles and promises to keep the rapper under strict house arrest.
“I realize that Mr. Williams is presumed innocent,” Judge Glanville said. “However, in this particular circumstance there have been significant [claims] about Mr. Williams being a danger to the community.”
Thursday’s decision to keep Gunna in jail came a day after Judge Glanville took further action against what he said were “numerous threats to kill or harm witnesses.” In an order issued Wednesday, the judge ordered defense lawyers to withhold contact information for witnesses from their clients, citing warnings from prosecutors that intimidation had already taken place. Defense attorneys deny such claims.
