"He will not live, judge" — Lawyer claims Young Thug trial witness Quindarrius “Lil D” Zachary will die in Fulton Country Jail

On Friday, September 13, Lil D, also known as Quindarrius Zachary, was arrested by the Atlanta Police officers to compel his testimony in the ongoing trial of rapper Young Thug. Lil D has emerged as a key figure in the case, with his name being mentioned repeatedly in the trial.

Daniel Scheib, Zachary's attorney, presented a plea for his client's release in Fulton County Court, where Young Thug's trial is ongoing, on Monday, September 16. In his plea statement to the court, Scheib stated:

"He’s got sickle cell, bad. When he was picked up from the hospital, they had to do two blood replacements, transfusions. He will not live, judge."

In response, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker clarified that Zachary had already been released from custody and was currently receiving treatment at Grady Memorial Hospital.

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Lil D reportedly suffers from sickle cell disease

As revealed in the Fulton County Court, Quindarrius "Lil D" Zachary suffers from sickle cell disease. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disease that leads to abnormalities in your hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells (RBCs).

The abnormal form of hemoglobin causes a change in the shape of RBCs, leading them to take a crescent shape. In doing so, the RBCs tend to lose their flexibility, creating a blockage in the blood flow. The condition often leads to anemia due to the shorter lifespan of your oddly shaped RBCs.

According to Yahoo! News, Lil D was arrested minutes after being released from the hospital on Friday. A GoFundMe page was created the next day, on Saturday, September 14, advocating for his fair treatment and release from prison.

Judge Reese stated that Zachary was admitted to Grady on Monday morning. However, Scheib revealed that he had talked to the family at 2 A.M., and Lil D was still in prison at the time. This indicates his transfer to the hospital took place between the early morning hours and the trial's hearing.

As Zachary continues to receive treatment, it is unclear whether he will be able to testify in court any time soon. His arrest came after several new developments in the case, including the statement of Antonio Sledge (also referred to as Mounk Tonuk), a key witness in the trial. Derreck Wright, the attorney who has represented Sledge for 15 years, was also questioned.

Sledge, who worked as the head of security for Young Thug's YSL, has reportedly acknowledged that three or four members of the group were allegedly involved in committing crimes "to increase notoriety and street credibility of the group," according to the court documents.

When questioned about his previous statements about the drive-by shooting on April 28, 2015, Sledge answered with, "I don't recall," which has become a phrase commonly thrown around throughout the trial.

In the past, Sledge has already pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate RICO as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

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Lil D among hundreds of witnesses in Young Thug trial

While it's unclear if and when Zachary's statement will be recorded in the ongoing YSL case, it's clear that he is one of the many witnesses the prosecutor plans on bringing into the courtroom for testimony.

Young Thug, originally named Jeffery Lamar Williams, was arrested in Atlanta on May 9, 2022, for violating the state's RICO charges, which included a 56-count indictment.

The YSL artist's home was raided following his arrest, adding seven more felonies to his pre-existing charges. The trial of William's charges began in the Fulton County Court on November 27, 2022, six months after his arrest.

With a long list of witnesses still about to be called, the length of the trial's witness testimony is expected to surpass Atlanta's past records, according to Atlanta News First.