Young Slime Life case: Jury begins deliberations in Georgia's longest trial

ATLANTA — It took 167 days of trial, more than 170 witnesses, multiple plea deals, dozens of delays and nearly a full calendar year for 12 Fulton County jurors to begin deliberating in the sprawling gang and racketeering trial against “Young Slime Life.”

There were six defendants when the trial began — including Grammy winning Atlanta rapper Young Thug — but now only two remain.

Shannon Stillwell faces eight charges including violating the state’s RICO act and two counts of murder for the death of Donovan Thomas and Shymel Drinks.

Deamonte Kendrick faces only six charges including a RICO charge and murder charge in the death of Thomas. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker ruled two drug charges and one gun charge against Kendrick can be acquitted and directed the jury to do so.

Whitaker also ruled two overt acts against Stillwell and one against Kendrick must be reduced to a lesser charge.

Defense attorneys said YSL was simply Young Thug’s record label. But prosecutors described YSL as a violent gang with a popular leader. The group wreaked havoc on Atlanta’s streets for nearly a decade, they said Monday, killing at least three rival gang members in the process.

During closing arguments, attorneys on both sides made sure to thank the jurors for their patience and time they’ve spent at the Fulton County Courthouse. Prosecutor Christian Adkins likened the trial to a marathon and encouraged jurors to “finish strong.”

Jury selection began in January 2023 and each of the 18 jurors selected for this trial were questioned by attorneys during the 10-month long process, being told at times that the trial would only take six to nine months. Two jurors were excused during the trial, one after being admitted to the hospital and the other after moving to another county.

For the remaining 16 jurors, it’s been a long year of grueling testimony and endless delays. Whitaker took over the case in July following the removal of Judge Ural Glanville, who initially had the case. Jurors were told they couldn’t work, discuss the trial with friends and family or read news reports about the case.

Once Whitaker took over, things moved at a faster pace. The judge ensured that court started by 9 a.m. and jurors left by 6 p.m. However, it was still too much for some jurors, who complained to Whitaker about the length of trial and the never-ending feeling.

It wasn’t until the star defendant in the trial, Young Thug, took a plea deal that prosecutors fast tracked their presentation evidence, concluding their presentation last week, just under a week from the one-year mark.

The jury will determine whether prosecutors presented compelling enough evidence to secure convictions for the remaining defendants.