A second new judge has been assigned to Young Thug/YSL trial just a day after the original judge was replaced.
Judge Shukura Ingram, who recently took over the case, recused herself on Wednesday morning, July 17. In her order of recusal, Judge Ingram states that her deputy was previously arrested for having an inappropriate relationship with one of Thugger's co-defendants Christian Eppinger a.k.a. Big Bhris. Judge Ingram said she would have to assess her deputy's credibility if she's called as a witness in the future, which "may undermine the public's confidence in the impartiality of the proceedings."
Judge Ingram's recusal came just hours after Judge Ural Glanville was removed from the case. Glanville was recused following a ruling from Judge Rachel Krause that removed him from the trial due to a private meeting he held with prosecutors and witness Kenneth "YSL Woody" Copeland. Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel learned about the meeting afterward from a source and filed a motion to recuse the judge. Glanville reacted by threatening to hold him in contempt for not sharing the name of the person who informed him about the meeting. Steel refused, got arrested and was sentenced to 20 days in jail. His sentence was reversed following an appeal.
The new judge is Judge Paige Reese Whitaker. Although she's new to the case, Whitaker already has a couple of reasons why she could also be recused from the proceedings. Three of the defense attorneys who represent the defendants — Brian Steel, Bruce Harvey, and David Botts — previously hosted a reelection fundraiser for Whitaker.
It's the latest update in the wild trial that has lasted 97 days before it was paused. Young Thug and his co-defendants are accused of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and have been hit with several gun, drug, and gang charges. He pled not guilty after he was arrested in May 2022. He has maintained his innocence since the trial began last year.