Why was Young Thug’s lawyer arrested in court?

Rapper Young Thug‘s already lengthy RICO trial in the state of Georgia took on a new chapter when, on Monday, June 10, 2024, Thug’s defense lawyer, Brian Steel, was arrested in an Atlanta courtroom on contempt of court charges.

In 2022, Young Thug — legal name Jeffery Williams — and several other associates were arrested on RICO charges under Georgia’s anti-organized crime Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Thug’s charges allege YSL Records, or Young Stoner Life, was not just his record label, but a front for a street gang called Young Slime Life, accused of a long list of illegal activities including violent crimes and drug offenses.

Already the longest, and certainly the most high-profile criminal case in Georgia’s history on account of several bizarre legal developments and delays, Thug’s trial officially started in November 2023. But when Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel was taken into custody on June 10, some wondered if the already convoluted legal proceeding might get paused, yet again.

Why was Brian Steel arrested?

Thug’s defense lawyer Brian Steel was arrested on contempt of court charges because he confronted Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville, presiding over Thug’s trial, about a meeting Glanville reportedly had with prosecutors and a witness set to testify, Kenneth Copeland, according to Axios. Steel demanded to know why Thug was not allowed to have legal representation at the alleged meeting, but when Glanville pressed Steel about how he found out about it in the first place, Steel refused to tell him his source.

Glanville reportedly warned Steel several times to turn over that information or he could be held in contempt of court, 11Alive reported. When Steel refused, calling for a mistrial, Glanville had him arrested. At first, Steel was allowed to return to the court proceedings, but only if he turned over his source by the end of the day. Steel didn’t and was sentenced to 20 days in jail for contempt, to be served only on weekends for 10 weeks. Despite that unusual development, Thug’s trial resumed the next day.