Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis suffered a significant legal defeat Tuesday when a jury acquitted two remaining defendants in a sprawling racketeering case centered on Atlanta’s Young Slime Life (YSL) gang. The case, which initially garnered national attention for its inclusion of prominent rapper Young Thug, ended after nearly two years with only one conviction out of dozens of charges for the last two accused.
The defendants, Deamonte Kendrick — known in the music world as Yak Gotti — and Shannon Stillwell, were cleared of all charges except one. Stillwell was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon according to NBC News. Both men had faced charges under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute, including allegations of murder and conspiracy.
Prosecutors accused Kendrick and Stillwell of being involved in violent crimes dating back nearly a decade. The most serious allegations included their roles in the 2015 drive-by shooting of Donovan Thomas Jr., an alleged rival gang member, and a separate 2022 murder linked to gang violence.
Willis had positioned the case as a critical step in curbing gang-related violence in South Atlanta. Her office argued that YSL operated as a criminal enterprise tied to the national Bloods gang. In addition to high-profile defendants like Young Thug, the case implicated dozens of individuals and garnered widespread attention for its use of rap lyrics as evidence of alleged gang affiliation.
Yet the case faced headwinds from the start. Defense attorneys argued that the state lacked concrete evidence and accused prosecutors of relying too heavily on circumstantial ties to gang activity. After lengthy deliberations, the jury sided with the defense, delivering a series of not-guilty verdicts that dealt a blow to Willis.
Stillwell received the maximum 10-year sentence for his firearm charge, but he will be credited for the two years he has already served and will be eligible to serve the remaining time on probation. Both Stillwell and Kendrick, his co-defendant, endured violent attacks while incarcerated during the protracted trial. Kendrick was stabbed this past Sunday, and Stillwell suffered a similar assault last year.
For Willis, the trial’s outcome represents a major setback. Her ambitious use of Georgia’s RICO statute has drawn national attention, particularly as she also leverages the law in a high-profile case against President-elect Donald Trump over efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
