Defendant in gang case involving rapper Young Thug stabbed at Atlanta jail
Shannon Stillwell reacts as he waits for the jury selection portion of his trial to continue in a Fulton County
By Alta Spells, Jason Morris and Olivia LaBorde, CNN
(CNN) — A defendant in the racketeering trial against alleged members of Young Slime Life, a street gang prosecutors say is led by Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug, was stabbed overnight at the Fulton County jail, authorities in Atlanta said.
Shannon Stillwell is in the hospital, according to Natalie Ammons, of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m obviously very concerned about my client and I’m gathering information at this time,” Stillwell’s attorney Max Schardt said.
Moments after court began on Monday morning, Judge Ural Glanville announced, “We’ve had a medical issue come up for one of our participants,” and recessed court for the rest of the day.
Stillwell is facing two murder charges, among other counts. Schardt delivered opening statements in court last month, saying his client was not guilty of the charges.
Willie Brown has been charged with “aggravated assault and possession of prohibited items in connection to the stabbing” during a fight, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Brown has been in custody since July 2020 after he was arrested by the East Point Police Department “for several charges,” the sheriff’s office said.
The fight between Brown and Jackson occurred on Sunday evening at the Rice Street Jail. During the fight, Jackson was stabbed multiple times by Brown. the sheriff’s office said. Jackson is in stable condition. Brown and Jackson were housed in the same zone. It is unknown what led to the fight.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has alleged Young Thug is the cofounder of a criminal street gang responsible for violent acts dating back a decade. Prosecutors say YSL, the acronym for the artist’s label, Young Stoner Life Records, also stands for Young Slime Life, an Atlanta-based street gang affiliated with the national Bloods gang.
Young Thug, whose given name is Jeffery Williams, was charged alongside Stillwell and dozens of others under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations – or RICO – Act.
Several defendants took plea deals last December – including rapper Gunna – while others were severed from the case. Stillwell is among six defendants who have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are standing trial in Atlanta.
Among other charges, Stillwell is accused in the killing of Donovan Thomas, an alleged member of a rival gang who was gunned down in 2015. In court documents, prosecutors alleged Young Thug rented a car that was used by YSL members in the killing.
“(My client has) been wrongfully accused of two separate murders … and we plead absolutely not guilty,” Stillwell’s attorney previously said in court. “He’s been charged with conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and while he has sold marijuana in the past, those were his decisions, for his benefit and had nothing to do with YSL or anyone else involved in this case.”
“If you focus on where the state’s evidence comes from, you will find that primarily, it comes from the stories of men wearing blue,” Schardt said, referring to the color of uniforms at the local jail. “I’m going to ask you to focus on things like science, instead of stories.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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CNN’s Christina Maxouris contributed to this report.
