Verdicts are in for final defendants in Georgia’s YSL trial

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Georgia’s longest trial in history is over.

On Tuesday, after about a week of deliberations, the jury in the nationally watched YSL trial in Atlanta returned verdicts for the trial’s last two co-defendants, Deamonte (aka Yak Gotti) Kendrick and Shannon (aka SB, aka Shannon Jackson) Stillwell.

Kendrick was found not guilty on all charges:

• One count of conspiracy to violate Georgia’s racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) act.
• One count of murder.
• One count of participation in a 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.
• One count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon who was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm.

Stillwell was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon previously convicted involving the use or possession of a firearm. He was found not guilty on:

• One count of RICO violation.
• Two counts of murder.
• Two counts of participation in a criminal street gang activity.
• One count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced Stillwell to 10 years in prison with two years time served and the rest to be served on probation.

The verdicts returned bring a close to Georgia’s longest trial in history, a judicial proceeding whose witness testimony began Nov. 27, 2023, and whose central figure once was international recording superstar Young Thug.

Stillwell and Kendrick were the trial’s only remaining co-defendants after Young Thug (real name Jeffery Williams) and three others accepted deals in October. Defense attorney Max Schardt represented Stillwell, while Doug Weinstein was Kendrick’s lawyer.

Young Thug and several others had been facing multiple organized crime, weapons and drug-related charges. He was arrested on May 9, 2022, along with 27 other suspected gang in Buckhead as part of a 56-count indictment. He spent more than two years behind bars before his release.

Williams received a 40-year prison sentence from Whitaker who, in less than a year, took charge of what had become an unorganized, unruly judicial proceeding. Williams will serve 15 years on probation, and Whitaker said if Williams is successful on his probation, the rest of his sentence will be commuted to time served.

As part of his plea deal, Young Thug has to stay away from his hometown of Atlanta for the next 10 years; can’t flash any criminal gang signs (real or suspected); perform 100 hours of community service for the next 15 years; and can’t have any guns around, according to the conditions of his plea deal and probation.

Williams’ plea deal came only hours after three other YSL co-defendants — Quamarvious Nichols (aka Qua), Rodalius Ryan (aka Lil Rod) and Marquavius Huey (aka Qua) — took plea deals.

Prosecutors had been attempting to show YSL (Young Slime Life) is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous offenses. Defense attorneys argued YSL was not a gang but simply the name of a record label, Young Stoner Life, a label to which Yak Gotti himself had been signed.

The trial’s jury selection lasted longer than any other in Georgia history, and actual witness testimony itself also sured state records. Both records were set by the Atlanta Public Schools teacher scandal and trial of 2014-15.

Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville was the trial’s first judge but was recused earlier this year because of a private, ex parte meeting he held with prosecutors and a key witness, Kenneth (aka Woody, aka Lil Woody) Copeland.

Brian Steel, one of Young Thug’s attorneys, vehemently objected to the meeting, which led Glanville to order Steel’s arrest in open court on contempt charges. The Supreme Court of Georgia eventually reversed Glanville’s order, but not after the judge himself was recused in one of the most bizarre episodes in a judicial proceeding that featured more than its share.

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