Young Thug’s high-profile racketeering trial has encountered yet another obstacle as Fulton Superior Court Judge Shukura L. Ingram recused herself from the case. This development comes shortly after she was assigned to replace Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville, who was ordered to step down earlier this week due to defense attorneys’ motions for his recusal.
Ingram’s decision to recuse herself stems from the arrest of her former deputy, Akeiba Stanley, who had been assigned to her courtroom for nearly six months. Stanley was charged in June 2023 with conspiracy to commit a felony, hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal, reckless conduct, and violation of oath by a public officer. The charges against Stanley allege that she colluded with YSL co-defendant Christian Eppinger.
In her recusal order, Ingram cited a rule from the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct, stating that judges must disqualify themselves if their impartiality could reasonably be questioned. Given the potential involvement of her former deputy as a witness in future proceedings and the need to assess her credibility, Ingram believed her continued involvement in the case could undermine public confidence in the trial’s impartiality.
Following Ingram’s recusal, a third judge, Paige Whitaker, was assigned to oversee the trial. Whitaker becomes the latest judge to preside over the stop-and-go proceedings, which have been plagued by numerous delays. The trial commenced in November, a year after Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Williams) and several co-defendants, including Eppinger, were indicted for their alleged involvement in the Atlanta criminal gang known as Young Slime Life (YSL).
Prosecutors in Atlanta have accused Young Thug of being a founding member of YSL, which stands accused of committing or conspiring to commit various crimes, including murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, carjacking, theft, and drug dealing.
