Rapper Yak Gotti rejects state plea deal

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Rapper Yak Gotti rejected a plea deal in the ongoing Young Thug trial, unlike several other co-defendants who accepted deals in the historically lengthy trial.

Douglas Weinstein, Yak Gotti’s attorney, said Thursday that his client “has every intention of taking this to the jury and getting our not guilty verdict and going home.”

Gotti, whose real name is Deamonte Kendrick, is a rapper who is signed to Young Thug’s record label, YSL. He faces 12 charges, including charges related to extortion, murder, firearms, drugs and street gang participation.

Here’s who has accepted plea deals so far in the Young Thug trial:

Rodalius Ryanalso known as “Lil Rod,” pleaded guilty to one count of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Ryan, who had previously been convicted of the murder of Jamari Holmes in 2019, is already serving life in prison and was sentenced to another 10 years of time served.
Marquavius Huey, also known as “Qua,” pleaded guilty to one count of RICO violation and accepted reduced sentences for robbery and firearms charges. The robbery charge was reduced from armed robbery.
Quamarvious Nichols, also known as “Qua,” accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for attempting to violate the RICO Act. In exchange, Fulton County prosecutors dropped the remaining charges of murder, participation in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and seven of them on probation.

The plea agreements came after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker recently halted the trial after defense attorneys objected to the testimony of Wunnie Lee, also known as Slimelife Shawty, who had reached a plea agreement in exchange for his testimony.

Opening statements were held at Young Thug’s trial on November 27, 2023. The trial jury selection lasted longer than any other in Georgia history, and actual witness testimony will likely surpass state records.

The trial began on November 27, 2023.

Defense attorneys have repeatedly expressed concern about the judgment long, and Fulton County prosecutors still have more than 100 witnesses to call.

Prosecutors are trying to prove that YSL is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous crimes. Defense attorneys say YSL is not a gang but simply the name of a record label.

Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of codeine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun.

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