The YSL RICO trial of Young Thug and many associates continues. Here’s the latest. A former Atlanta police detective, Ty Dennis, has been permanently barred from testifying in the high-profile racketeering and gang trial involving Young Thug.
The aggressive but understandable ruling went down after a controversial comment in court. Dennis, who had been a key witness in the case, made an improper statement while on the stand, leading to calls for a mistrial.
Let’s dive in further …
The incident occurred while Dennis was discussing a photo of co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick, which showed Kendrick standing on the hood of a luxury Maybach belonging to alleged rival gang member YFN Lucci. Prosecutors had intended to focus solely on the photograph, taken in the parking lot of Lenox Square, but Dennis, in front of the jury, mentioned Kendrick being released from jail.
Get this, the offhand remark sparked an immediate objection from Kendrick’s attorney, Doug Weinstein, who demanded a mistrial. That mistrial move has been a recurring theme throughout the longest trial in Georgia’s history and at this rate, it might just happen sooner or later but we’re just speculating.
As you can imagine, the comment outraged Weinstein, who argued, “Your honor, this one you cannot fix. This absolutely cannot be unheard by the jury. It was heard clear as day in his deep, sonorous voice. They have heard it. They have absorbed it. It cannot be fixed.”
What’s more, in response, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker excused Dennis from the stand and ultimately barred him from returning to testify. While acknowledging that the state likely did not intend to elicit the comment about Kendrick’s criminal record, Whitaker was firm, stating, “As the sanction for this having occurred, that’s the end of the testimony from this witness. He is done.” She further criticized Dennis, a retired investigator, for not exercising better judgment in his testimony.
Of course, Weinstein pushed for a mistrial, Whitaker denied the motion, noting that one of Kendrick’s charges in the indictment already referenced a previous felony conviction. However, she instructed the jury to disregard all of Dennis’ testimony from that day.
Let’s unpack a bit more. Dennis, along with his former partner Lakea Gaither, had been a significant figure in the investigation. Both retired from the Atlanta Police Department in 2020 and were named Investigators of the Year in 2015. Despite their important role, this development further complicates the already slow-moving trial, which has set a record as Georgia’s longest-running jury selection process, having started in January 2023.
To recap the basics, prosecutors allege that Young Thug is the leader of Young Slime Life (YSL), an Atlanta-based gang involved in a series of violent crimes, including robberies, shootings, and at least three murders. The defense, however, maintains that YSL is merely the name of Williams’ record label, and their clients are innocent of the gang-related charges.
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