FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – One of the remaining defendants in the current YSL-RICO trial in Fulton County was reportedly stabbed to death in the Fulton County Jail on Sunday, according to his attorney, Doug Weinstein.

Weinstein posted on TikTok that he spoke with his client Deamonte Kendrick on Sunday evening, and although he sounded tired, he expected a full recovery. Kendrick was apparently on his way to the hospital to get stitches when Weinstein spoke to him. He also said he expects to see him in court today.

Additionally, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a “physical altercation” occurred between Kendrick and another “prison inmate” and that Kendrick was treated for minor injuries from a sharp object. The incident occurred in the south annex of the Fulton County Jail in Union City. FCSO said they are still investigating to determine who the attacker was in the incident and whether charges will be filed.

Weinstein spoke to FOX 5 in person last week and said he was trying to keep his client’s spirits up as he waited for the jury to decide his fate.

“I show him pictures of him and that people are going to remove the feed or things that the photographers are going to do. I’m going to show him everything, you know, anything that shows he has tremendous public support behind him,” he said.

Deliberations are scheduled to continue Monday morning in the longest-running criminal case in Fulton County history.

The YSL Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) trial, which involved Grammy winner Young Thug and several associates, began just over a year ago. Many of the defendants, including Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, have already taken plea deals, while several others are still awaiting trial.

Of those who stood trial with Williams, only Deamonte Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell remain. Both men are charged with murder and will be sentenced to life in prison without parole if convicted.

Jury members began deliberations last Tuesday afternoon after prosecutors and defense attorneys completed their closing arguments.

Those deliberations continued Wednesday and jurors were given the option to stay until 7 p.m. if they felt they were close to a verdict. However, they decided to go home at 3 p.m. and continue deliberations after a break due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

The consultations are scheduled to continue on Monday morning.

CURRENT STORIES

Williams pleaded guilty to gang, drug and weapons charges on Oct. 31 after negotiations with prosecutors failed. The sentence was left to Whitaker, who gave him a 40-year sentence that allowed him to walk free on parole with significant restrictions, including a ban from the Atlanta area for the first 10 years, except in certain cases.

The slow process was fraught with problems from the start. Jury selection took nearly 10 months, and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville, the original judge, was dismissed from the case in July after defense attorneys based on a secret meeting he held with prosecutors and a state witness had submitted a request for rejection.

Whitaker took on the case and often lost patience with prosecutors for what she once called “poor advocacy.” She and her defense attorneys scolded prosecutors for not turning over the evidence in advance.

More than 175 witnesses testified throughout the trial. Prosecutors alleged that in 2012, Young Thug and two others co-founded a violent criminal street gang called Young Slime Life (YSL), which they said was linked to the national Bloods gang.

At Young Thug’s plea hearing, defense attorney Brian Steel said that Young Thug had been “wrongfully accused” and the evidence against him was weak. He also condemned the use of rap lyrics during the trial.

Steel said he thought they would win the trial and wanted to hold out until the jury’s verdict, but Young Thug wanted to go home to his family rather than sit through the rest of the trial, which felt like “hell.”

Nine people charged in the indictment, including Atlanta rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, accepted plea agreements before the trial began. Twelve more are to be examined separately. Prosecutors dropped charges against a defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case.

What the remaining co-defendants are accused of in the YSL trial

Deamonte Kendrick (Yak Gotti): Conspiracy to violate RICO, murder (murder of Donovan Thomas in 2015), participation in criminal street gang activity, three counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon with a prior offense that involved the use or possession of a firearm.

Shannon Stillwell (Shannon Jackson or SB): Conspiracy to violate RICO, two counts of murder (murder of Donovan Thomas Jr. in 2015 and murder of Shymel Drinks in 2022), two counts of engaging in street gang criminal activity, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon with a prior felony involving the use or possession of a firearm, as well as possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Young Thug and 27 others were charged in 2022 with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law and committing multiple violent crimes. After the longest jury selection in history (10 months), the trial against Young Thug and several co-defendants began in November 2023. It is now the longest trial in Georgia history. Prosecutors are trying to prove that YSL (Young Slime Life) is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous crimes, including murder. The defendants claim that YSL stands for Young Stoner Life and is the name of a record label founded by Young Thug. The trial was plagued by various disruptions, including illness, the arrest of a juror and attorney, the stabbing of defendant Shannon Stillwell, the removal of the original judge in charge of the case, and more. Young Thug and three other defendants agreed to a plea deal in late October 2024. Several other defendants were charged who were not yet in court at the time.